Fade to Black
by hapshepsutalc
Summary: Steph decides to take control of her life, but as usual things are never that easy. This is a Babe story. I'm very unkind to Morelli and Helen. If you are a Cupcake DO NOT READ. You have been warned! My first fanfic. Please be gentle.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer****: This is my first Fan Fiction so please be gentle with me. I do not own any of the characters nor am I making any money off them. I hope you enjoy my story**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_**Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

**CHAPTER 1**

**SPOV**

Here I am again, Stephanie Plum; aka the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, aka Babe, aka Cupcake. Good grief, it's a wonder I'm not schizophrenic with all the nicknames. I was standing immobile, staring at the flashing lights of the fire trucks and police cars as they raced towards my latest disaster. Once again, I had managed to send another vehicle to car heaven. Actually, my latest skip was responsible for it. He threw a Molotov cocktail into my backseat in an attempt to prevent his apprehension. Not that this mattered; it would still be listed under one of my many car catastrophes.

As I watched my latest POS car become engulfed in flames and money exchanging hands among my supposed life long friends, I realized that I couldn't keep doing this. I was exhausted from chasing my skip four blocks and then making a flying tackle after he blew my car up. He was currently handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser. I might always get my man, but I'd had enough. Five years from now, I didn't want to watch this same scene replaying with a different car and bigger bets. I needed to get serious about my job, or seriously consider getting a new one.

As I accepted the finality of this decision, I watched the two men in my life make their way over to me. Joe's face was candy apple red. I could practically see the steam rolling off of his head. And Ranger ... well, Ranger had his almost smile on his normally blank face. Glad to see I could still amuse him. When they reached me, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what I knew would be coming from Joe. Ranger never seemed to mind when my cars went boom, as long as I wasn't in them.

Ranger stepped up in front of me and tucked a loose curl behind my ear, then asked, "Babe, you okay?"

"Yep."

He gave me one of his rare full-blown smiles. "Okay, call if you need anything." And with that, he turned and walked back to his car.

I guess seeing that I was in one piece was all he needed. I didn't really have much time to think about it, though, because Joe blew his top.

"Cupcake, I can't believe you torched another car! What's wrong with you? When are you going to realize that you are completely incapable of doing your job and quit?"

"Joe--" was all I got out before he continued on with his rant.

"I've had enough of this! It's time for you to grow up! I've told you before that I can take care of both of us. There is no reason for you to work. I mean, once we're married you will have the house and then kids to keep you busy. I don't understand why you can't start now."

Arguing with Joe about my job and getting married was yet another thing I was tired of. Normally, my response would be to start yelling back about needing my independence and not wanting to be another "Burg wife." Instead, I just turned away and looked for my friend, Eddie Garza, whom I'd seen earlier. Joe was still yelling, but I wasn't listening to anything he was saying.

"Eddie, would you mind giving me a ride back to my apartment?" I asked when I finally found him.

He gave me a startled look and glanced over at Joe, who now looked like he might be at serious risk of having a coronary. "Ah, sure, Steph," Eddie replied. "No problem."

Joe was still yelling as we walked away from him and climbed into Eddie's cruiser. The drive to my apartment was made in silence. Eddie was probably shocked that I hadn't let Joe have it. Joe and I were known for our explosive tempers and our complete unwillingness to listen to what the other person was saying. Instead of fuming, as I normally would be, I was wondering why I kept repeating the same actions and arguments. Ranger was right. It was definitely unhealthy. I looked out the window, taking in the scenery and knowing that I needed to do some serious thinking about my life, professionally and personally. However, getting any peace and quiet was pretty much impossible for me.

As we pulled into my apartment complex, I saw two Ford Explorers sitting in the front two parking spots. I will never understand how the Merry Men and their fearless leader always end up with the best spots. I guess it was just one of life's little mysteries.

I started to get out of the car, but Eddie stopped me.

"Are you okay, Steph?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, I guess… No, not really, but I think I will be." I sighed. "Hey, would you grab my body receipt for me when you go to the precinct? And thanks for the ride, Eddie!"

"Sure Steph, anytime," Eddie said.

I gave him a small smile and climbed out of the car. As Eddie pulled away, I looked up to see Tank, Ranger's right hand man, headed my way with a set of keys.

"Boss said you might need these for a few days," Tank said as he handed me the keys.

Normally, I don't like taking cars from Ranger, but I had a plan forming in my head, and I would need transportation if I was going to do it. Besides, I really_ hate_ driving Big Blue.

"Thanks, Tank," I said. "And thank Ranger for me."

"No problem, Steph," Tank said, smiling as he climbed into the other Explorer.

I looked in the driver's side and saw Lester. I gave him a one-finger wave. He flashed me his killer smile and waved back as he pulled out of the lot. I drug my tired body up to my second floor apartment and let myself in. Looking around at my dorm furniture, I once again thought that I really needed to make some serious life changes.

After helping Ranger solve the mystery of the break-ins connected to his company, he had been quite generous in paying me for my time, and my bank account was actually looking quite flush. And since I'd caught my skip today, my plate was clean. I decided it was time to take a few days off and figure out exactly what I wanted out of life.

The beach has always been my oasis when I needed to get away, so I was going to drive down to Point Pleasant for a few days of peace, quiet, and contemplation. I went to my room, grabbed a bag, and packed a few things. It was fall, so it would be chilly, but I wasn't going for the tan. With my bag in one hand and Rex in the other, I made my way down to the Explorer. I knew I should call my mom and Joe to let them know I was going, but I just really didn't want to hear them complain. Best if I called them after I got there.

On the other hand, I should probably call Ranger, so he didn't think I'd been kidnapped and send out the troops. Even though I knew the truck had GPS, I figured I'd still let him know where I was going. It also gave me an excuse to hear his voice, and I would never pass up an opportunity to talk to my own personal Batman. I hit speed dial one.

"Yo," he answered.

"Yo, yourself."

"Hey, Babe, did you get the truck?"

"Yeah, thanks, Ranger. I really appreciate it."

"No problem."

"So, I just wanted to tell you I'm headed to Point Pleasant for a few days."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to get away for a few days. I have some things I want to think about, and I can't do it here with everyone yelling in my ear about what they think I need to do."

"Okay, Babe, I understand. Would you mind calling every night to check in, just so I'll know your okay?"

"Sure, I can do that. Oh, would you do me a favor and not tell anyone where I'm at. I'm going to call Mom, Joe, and Connie later, but I really need to get away from the Burg and all that goes along with it."

Ranger chuckled. "Sure, Babe, your secret's safe with me."

"Thanks, Ranger."

Of course, he was gone without even a goodbye. I shut my phone off, figuring I'd wait until I got settled to make my other phone calls.

I made good time getting to Point Pleasant and found a cheap house to rent right on the beach. Then, I ran to the store and bought some essentials: coffee, tastykakes, a few donuts for in the morning, and some things to snack on tonight. I even picked up a pad of paper and pen. If I was going to start making some changes, I might want to make some lists.

After Rex and I were settled for the night, I turned on my phone. Six missed calls. Oh, joy. Two calls were from my mother, going on about how Adriana Basso's daughter never had her cars blown up. She worked at the bank and had two kids ... blah, blah, blah, blah. Well, it might be a little better than working at the personal products plant, since there was always the chance of a robbery to break up the monotony, but I still wasn't interested. Mary Lou and Lula both called to see if I was all right. Two calls were from Joe, screaming about me walking away from him at the scene.

I deleted all the messages and took a deep breath, preparing myself for the calls ahead. I dialed the bonds office and left a message for Connie saying I would be out of town for a few days and would call when I was back. Then, I called my mom.

"Hi, Mom."

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, what am I going to do with you? Another car? Honestly, Stephanie, when are you going to stop this nonsense and get a real job and get married? You're not getting any younger, and Joe won't wait for you forever, you know."

I ignored her rant. "I'm fine, Mom. I decided to go out of town for a few days, and I wanted to let you know so you wouldn't worry."

"Where are you going? When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure, Mom, but I'll call and check in if I plan on staying longer than a few days. I shouldn't be gone for to long, though. Oh, I have a call coming in, Mom. I've got to go. I love you. Talk to you later." Bless the person who invented call waiting because it made a great excuse.

"Stephanie," I heard her say as I hung up the phone.

Phew! One down and one more to go. Now to call Joe. I hit speed dial two.

"Cupcake, where the hell are you?" Joe yelled when he answered the phone.

"I needed a break and decided to go out of town for a few days."

"Oh, really. How the hell did you get there? You don't have a car anymore!"

"Ranger had the guys drop off one of his cars for me to borrow for a few days."

"Why would you take another car from him, Cupcake? They probably aren't even legal! And why did you walk away from me when I was talking to you today?"

I could see he hadn't calmed down any since then, either.

"Joe, you weren't talking, you were yelling. But I'm not going to argue with you tonight. Ranger's cars are perfectly legal, and you know it. I left because I needed to think, and that's what I'm going to do. I'll call you when I get back. Goodbye, Joe."

I hung up the phone and shut it off before he could continue with his complaints. I looked at the clock and decided it was late enough. I would go to bed and start my introspection tomorrow.

**TBC...**

**I would love to thank the two greatest beta's in the world. So thank's Connie and Lisa. If it wasn't for you two this story would still be floating around in my head and never made it to paper. Lisa you're a great writer and I've learned a lot from you. Connie, you're brilliant! You have some of the best ideas and I thank you so much for helping me bring my story to life.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_Previously:_

"_Cupcake, where the hell are you?" Joe yelled when he answered the phone. _

"_I needed a break and decided to go out of town for a few days." _

"_Oh, really. How the hell did you get there? You don't have a car anymore!" _

"_Ranger had the guys drop off one of his cars for me to borrow for a few days." _

"_Why would you take another car from him, Cupcake? They probably aren't even legal! And why did you walk away from me when I was talking to you today?" _

_I could see he hadn't calmed down any since then, either. _

"_Joe, you weren't talking, you were yelling. But I'm not going to argue with you tonight. Ranger's cars are perfectly legal, and you know it. I left because I needed to think, and that's what I'm going to do. I'll call you when I get back. Goodbye, Joe." _

_I hung up the phone and shut it off before he could continue with his complaints. I looked at the clock and decided it was late enough. I would go to bed and start my introspection tomorrow._

**CHAPTER 2**

**SPOV**

I woke up a little confused because I wasn't in my bed. When my mind finally started functioning, I remembered where I was and why I was there. For once, I was eager to get out of bed. I was ready for a change, but I needed to decide exactly what kind I was looking for. I rolled out of bed and shuffled to the shower. I made myself some coffee and grabbed a donut. I dropped a piece of it in Rex's cage and took my coffee, pen, and paper out to the deck.

It was a beautiful fall day. The air was crisp, and the sun was warm on my skin. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the ocean breeze, then grabbed my pen. It seemed, to me, that if I wanted to figure out what I wanted, I first needed to figure out what I didn't want. I made a list with two columns

_**What I DO NOT Want **_

_**Professionally Personally**_

_**1) Work behind a desk 1) Become Burg!**_

_**2) To have my friends bet on me 2) Give up my independence**_

_**3) Be bad at my job 3) Be treated like I'm incompetent **_

_**4) 9 to 5 job 4) To be told what to do**_

_**5) To be made fun of 5) Marriage/kids, at least not now**_

_**6) A monotonous job 6) White picket fence**_

Okay, that gave me a place to start. Most of the time, I like bounty hunting, and I really like working at Rangeman. Keeping those things in mind, I made a new list.

_**What I DO Want**_

_**Professionally Personally**_

_**1) To be a better bounty hunter 1) To be respected**_

_**2) Job security 2) To be accepted for who I am**_

_**3) To be more physically fit 3) To be supported **_

_**4) To understand the security industry 4) To be loved/cherished**_

_**5) To fly 5) To fly**_

I looked over my lists and one thing seemed abundantly clear. If I retitled the DON'T list, it could be called Joe, and if I retitled the DO list, it could be called Ranger. Well, damn. Who knew it was so black and white?

I knew I had strong feelings for the men in my life, but looking at my lists, I realized the feelings I have for Joe had nothing to do with what I wanted from a relationship, and were entirely tied to our history and me not letting go of my first crush. This told me that Joe and I didn't have a future as a couple. Hopefully, we could have one as friends, but that was all.

The realization about Ranger, however, was eye opening and also a bit depressing. I seemed to have the perfect man, all in one nice neat little package. One who gave me everything I wanted and needed in a relationship, but didn't do relationships, or stupid things like marriage and pregnancy. Now, I'm okay with the latter two. Actually, I was in complete agreement at this point in my life. It was the relationship one I had a problem with. I couldn't do casual with Ranger because it would break me if he walked away from again.

Well, I might not be able to be with Ranger, but I wasn't going to settle for less than I wanted or deserved, and that meant Joe and I were through. Wow! One decision down and I felt great. If only it would be this easy to tell him.

Before proceeding with my self-awakening, I decided it was time for a nap, and then maybe some lunch and a walk on the beach. Hey, no one said I had to do it all at once. This was a mini vacation, after all. I climbed in my bed and was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I woke up about an hour later, feeling refreshed. It was about noon and my stomach was rumbling. I wanted to take a walk on the beach, so I figured I could kill two birds with one stone by grabbing some lunch on the boardwalk. I found my bag and a light jacket and headed out. The day had turned even nicer, and I soaked up the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze as I walked down the beach.

That one small decision already made me feel so much better. I stopped at the taco vendor and bought my lunch, then continued on. I stopped at some shops on my way back, picking up a few things for my nieces, Lula, and Connie. I saw a small jewelry boutique ahead and decided to step in and take a look around.

The boutique sold mostly hand-made jewelry and offered engraving as well. I found a dog tag with a diamond chip and decided to get one engraved for myself. I had my name and birth date put on one side, and, on a whim, I had "Babe" engraved on the other. I figured no one else would see it, and even though Ranger and I couldn't be anything more to each other, I could at least have something to remind me of him close to my heart. Corny, I know, but I guess I was having a rare sentimental day. I paid for my purchase, and arranged to pick the necklace up the next day.

It was almost 4:00 P.M., so I made my way back to the rental house. Once there, I checked my voicemail for any emergencies. I had six new voicemails, all from Joe and my mother, all saying the same things. I deleted them and watched some TV before ordering dinner from Pat's Pizza. Their pizza was almost as good as Pino's, so it was an easy choice.

After placing my order, I gave Lula a call. She would fill me in on all the current gossip about me, and I wouldn't have to hear a running commentary on how messed up my life is. She picked up after the first ring.

"Hey girlfriend! Where'd you go disappear to?"

"Hey, Lula. After yesterday's car disaster, I decided to take a break for a few days and leave town."

"Well, I can't blame you there."

"So, what's new?"

"Oh, you know, same ol' same ol'. The Burg's gossiping about your latest car catastrophe and how you're no where to be found. Did you really just walk away from Super Cop mid argument yesterday?"

"Well, he might have been mid argument, but I'd heard it all before."

"Sooner or later, you're gonna have to tell that man what's what. The way he yells and screams at you ain't right. I don't care if he's Italian or whatever. That ain't love, Steph. That's a total lack of respect, and he can't love you if he don't even respect you. "

Who knew Lula was so philosophical? "Believe me, I know. That's one of the things I've been thinking about ... well, basically I'm thinking about my life and where I want to go with it personally and professionally."

"That's cool. I can understand wanting to have a plan."

I heard a knock on the door. "Yeah, well, my pizza's here, so I'm gonna go. I'll call you when I get back in town."

"That's cool, girl. Be safe!"

After eating my pizza, I watched a little more TV, then hit the sack. Before climbing in bed, I gave Ranger a call, as promised.

"Yo, Babe."

"Hey, Ranger."

"How's the beach?"

"A little cool, but beautiful."

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, it's peaceful and quiet. I've just been doing some of thinking about my life and what I want from it."

"Should I be worried?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I don't think so. I'm just not happy with the rut I'm in right now, and I think I'm the only one that can change it. If I'm going to make some changes, first I want to be sure about what I want for my future before I do anything, you know?"

"Sounds like you're doing some serious soul searching. Did something specific happen to bring this on?"

"Not really. It's just that yesterday, while I watched my car burn and my friends exchange money over the most recent betting pool, I realized that I had been there before. As a matter of fact, I've been there many times, and I'm tired of it. I don't want to be doing the same thing five years from now when I'm not even happy with the way things are now."

"I understand, Babe. I didn't realize you were so unhappy."

"I don't know if I'm unhappy, or frustrated, or both. I guess that's why I decided to get away for a few days. I thought that maybe a little distance would help me put things into perspective."

"Well, if you need anything, you just have to ask. You know that, don't you, Babe?"

"Yeah, Ranger, I know. I've always been able to count on you. You've always supported me, and even though I might not say it enough, I do appreciate all you do for me."

"No price, remember? I will always be here for you, just like you are for me."

"Thanks, Ranger. It is good to hear sometimes."

"No problem, Babe."

"Well, I guess I'm going to go to bed."

"Sweet dreams."

And with that, he was gone.

I woke up the next morning the same as the day before. What can I say? I'm not a morning person and it takes me a while to function when I first wake up. After figuring out where I was and why, I jumped out of bed and into the shower, ready to delve back into my introspection.

I pulled out my lists from the day before and focused on the professional side and what I wanted in my professional life and made some notes beside each number.

_**What I DO Want**_

_**Professionally **_

_**1) To be a better bounty hunter- training, self defense, takedown techniques, B&E 101 **_

_**2) Job Security- Speak to Ranger about the possibility of working for him full/part time because I actually really like working there **_

_**3) To be more physically fit- Running, eating healthier (not all the time), weights **_

_**4) To understand the security industry better- Speak to Ranger about it. **_

_**5) To fly**_

Okay, that was simple. It looked like I need to speak to Ranger. I didn't know if he had time to train me, but I was sure he would be able to point me in the right direction.

I looked over my lists again and realized that everything I needed professionally, as well as personally, led me right back to on person … Ranger. This realization really reenforced how important Ranger was to me. I mean, I always knew that I turned to Ranger when I was in trouble. I trust him in a way I have never really understood, but now, looking at my list and what I wanted from my life, it seemed that I had found it all in one person.

Unfortunately, that one person didn't do relationships. What was I supposed to do now?

Well, I thought, I can't control how Ranger feels or what he does. The only things I have control of are my thoughts and actions. Knowing that, I realized all I could do is be the best me I could be and give Ranger all of me freely. If all he wanted was friendship, then I would have to accept that. I would take whatever he could give me and leave the rest to fate.

What other choice did I have? I couldn't not love him, whoa… Love him? Did I love him? If I was being honest, then it's obvious I was in love him. I'd known that since Scrog. I guess knowing that he would only love me in his own way kept me from really admitting it. Well, I couldn't change how I felt, or how he felt, so I'd just have to take what he could give me.

These decisions made, I resolved to enjoy the rest of the day. Tomorrow, I would head back to Trenton and face the music, but today I would just enjoy the carefree feel the beach filled me with and forget all of my worries and insecurities.

I put on a pair of jeans and a light sweatshirt and headed out to the beach. I walked down to the jewelry store and picked up my necklace first, before I forgot. I put it around my neck and strolled down to the beach. I walked along the shore for hours, thinking about everything and nothing. I seemed to be able to find my own zone when I was by the water.

As the sun started to go down, I figured I'd better head inside and grab some dinner. I also needed to work out exactly what I wanted to do once I got back to Trenton. I'd need to stop at the office. Vinnie was probably having a fit since I'd been gone for two whole days. I also needed to speak with Ranger and Joe. I was looking forward to one conversation, but dreading the other. Normally, my way of dealing with things is to deny, deny, deny, and then when I couldn't deny it anymore, I would procrastinate until I could no longer avoid the subject. I decided the new Stephanie was going to be more proactive.

I'd need to schedule a meeting with Ranger, so I could speak to him about my plans. I was also going to call Joe and ask him to meet with me in the evening, so we could talk. That decided, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Joe first.

"Hey, Cupcake are you home yet?"

"No, Joe. I'm coming back tomorrow, though, and I was wondering if we could get together in the evening."

"Sure, Steph. How about you grab some Pino's and come over tomorrow? Bob and the boys are really missing you."

I rolled my eyes at this statement, but decided it would be better to have this talk in private rather than in full Burg view, so I agreed. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow around seven."

"Great, Cupcake! See you then."

Okay, that went well. Now for the easier call.

"Yo!"

"Yo, yourself."

I heard Ranger chuckle. "So, how goes the self reflection?"

"Actually, pretty good. I've made some really big decisions, I think. I was hoping we could talk about them tomorrow if you had some free time."

"Sure, Babe. Want to grab some lunch about 12:30?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Where at?"

"Your choice. We could go out or I could have Ella make us something."

Mmm ... Ella yumminess. I fantasize about Ella cooking for me sometimes. I heard Ranger laugh and guessed I'd said that out loud.

"Yeah, you did, Babe. So Ella it is. I'll see you on seven at 12:30," and then silence.

When was that man going to learn to say goodbye? Seriously, did his mother not teach him any manners? Oh, well. I grabbed some food and took it back to my rental.

I went to bed later that night feeling a little anxious. I was excited and nervous at the same time. I was ready to start taking my job seriously and hopefully for other people to start taking me seriously, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it and then this would be added to the long list of failures that everyone seemed so quick to remember. I mean, it's well known that I've been a screw up for most of my life. Just ask my mother, she will give you story after story about how I've screwed up, starting with my flying leap off the garage all the way up to my most recent car disaster, not to mention everything else in between.

I wondered if I'd ever done anything that my mother didn't think was a mistake. I really couldn't think of one time when she'd seemed proud of me. Maybe when I married the Dick, but we all know how well that turned out. I guess some kids are just meant to disappoint their parents. Luckily for mom, she has Saint Valerie to make up for me.

Well, the only way I would know if I could do it was to try. With that thought, I drifted off to sleep.

**TBC…**

**My Beta's Rock! Thank's Connie & Lisa!**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.

WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.

_Previously:_

_I went to bed later that night feeling a little anxious. I was excited and nervous at the same time. I was ready to start taking my job seriously and hopefully for other people to start taking me seriously, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it and then this would be added to the long list of failures that everyone seemed so quick to remember. I mean, it's well known that I've been a screw up for most of my life. Just ask my mother, she will give you story after story about how I've screwed up, starting with my flying leap off the garage all the way up to my most recent car disaster, not to mention everything else in between. _

_I wondered if I'd ever done anything that my mother didn't think was a mistake. I really couldn't think of one time when she'd seemed proud of me. Maybe when I married the Dick, but we all know how well that turned out. I guess some kids are just meant to disappoint their parents. Luckily for mom, she has Saint Valerie to make up for me. _

_Well, the only way I would know if I could do it was to try. With that thought, I drifted off to sleep._

CHAPTER 3

SPOV

As I drove back to Trenton the next morning, I was filled with purpose. Today I was going to start living my new life. I stopped at my apartment to drop Rex off, then I made my way to the bonds office to see if Connie had any files for me. My plan was to hang out there until it was time to meet with Ranger.

When I pulled up in front of the office, Lula was looking out the window. I smiled at the sight of her in all her spandex glory as I headed into the office.

"Hey, Connie. Got any files for me?" I asked.

Vinnie heard my voice and came running out out of his office. "Where the hell have you been?" he yelled. "I don't pay you to take a few days off. I'm losing money left and right because of this little stunt you pulled, and it's coming out of your pay!"

"Oh, shut the hell up, Vinnie," Connie said as she handed me some files. "You haven't lost a cent and you know it."

"Yeah, Vinnie," Lula piped up. "We ain't tryin' to hear your crap today. I gotta catch up on what's been going on in my girls life. So take your duck lovin' ass back in your office before a pop a cap in it."

Vinnie eyes bugged out of his head. "Get your lazy asses back to work before I fire you all!" he screamed, then stormed back into his office and slammed the door shut.

Connie, Lula, and I busted out laughing. It was always so easy and fun to put Vinnie in his place. After our laughter died down, Lula looked at me and asked, "Did you have a nice time on your mini vacation?"

"Yeah, I did a little thinking. Made a few decisions about what I want out of life."

Connie spoke up then. "Steph, did you really just walk away from Joe while you were fighting?"

"I guess. I mean he was yelling and I walked away. So, technically, yeah." I shrugged. "Honestly, though, we've had the same fight so many times I just didn't see the point. We say the same things about a hundred different ways and nothing ever changes."

"Hmm ... girl," Lula said. "Sounds like some of the decisions you were making might involve Super Cop."

"They do. But before I tell you guys about it, I need to talk to Joe first. I'm having dinner with him tonight for just that reason."

"Oh, sounds juicy," Lula said. "You'll have to fill us in tomorrow. It's almost lunch time. Why don't we head over to Cluck 'n Bucket and get us some greasy goodness?"

"Sorry, Lula. No can do. I'm meeting Ranger for lunch today."

"Girl, tell me some of the decisions you made involves you and Batman doing the nasty at the Bat Cave," Lula said.

She and Connie started fanning themselves.

I rolled my eyes at them. "No, I'm talking to Ranger about some _professional _changes I would like to make. Personal isn't an option with him."

"Whatever, girlfriend. I see the way he looks at you."

"I doubt that. He's made it perfectly clear he doesn't do relationships. We're just friends."

"Okay, you can believe that if you want, but I know Batman's head over heels for you."

I just shook my head and grabbed my files. "I'll see you girls tomorrow."

"Later, girl," Lula said

"Bye, Steph," Connie added.

I climbed in the Explorer and motored over to Ranger's. I wasn't sure why, but I felt a little nervous. I knew Ranger wouldn't mind helping me out, but I guess I wondered how our relationship would change if I was actually capable of doing my job, rather than just flying by the seat of my pants like I had been doing up until now. Would he look at me differently? Would we not see each other as much? On the other hand, would it be more if I worked at Rangeman regularly? Knowing that I couldn't be with him, would seeing him more be easier or harder?

All these questions and thoughts flew through my head, and before I knew it, I was pulling into the underground garage at Rangeman. I parked my car next to Ranger's Porsche, jumped out, and headed over to the elevator. I stepped inside it and did a finger wave to the camera, figuring that the guys were watching me.

When I stepped off the elevator on the seventh floor, Ranger was waiting for me with the door open.

"Babe."

I gave him a smile and a peck on the check as I walked by him into the apartment. As I strolled towards the kitchen, I was hit with the smell of something delicious. "I love Ella," I said, more to myself than to Ranger.

"Glad to know the real reason you stopped by, Babe," Ranger said with a smile.

I laughed. "What can I say, Ranger? I know what's important."

"Let's see what culinary delight Ella has made for you today," Ranger said as he picked up the covers on our plates.

Ranger, of course, had a plain chicken salad. But my plate had a scrumptious Panino de Amore sandwich and some yummy looking chocolate mousse on the side. My mouth watered at the sight. Ranger chuckled at the look on my face. My lunch was so delicious I didn't even bother to speak until I had finished.

While I was eating, I'd thought about exactly what I wanted to say. I couldn't come up with anything good, so I grabbed my list out of my pocket and looked it over to make sure there wasn't anything that might spell out "Ranger" in the personal column. Satisfied that the lists were generic enough, I looked up at Ranger.

He gave me his almost smile and said, "You ready to tell me about those decisions you made?"

"I guess so," I said. "I made a list of what I do and don't want in my life. I think it would just be easier to give you the list. Ignore the personal side. It just happens to be on the same sheet. What I want to discuss is on the professional side. I was wondering if you could either help me with it or maybe tell me where to go to make it happen. I realize that your time is valuable, and I don't want to take up a bunch of it. So, it's fine if you just tell me where to go or whatever. And the whole working for Rangeman part is only if you'd want me to, of course."

I was rambling and I knew it, but asking for help wasn't my strong suit. I was surprised when Ranger smiled after I mentioned working for Rangeman, though.

"Let's see it." He held out his hand for my list.

"Oh, yeah. Okay, h-here," I stuttered and handed him my list.

He read it over with a thoughtful look. Something I didn't quiet recognize fleeted across his face, and he gave me a look I couldn't really understand. But before I could give it much thought, he put his head back down and studied the list again. When he looked back up, he had his 1000-watt smiled aimed right at me. If I had been walking right then, I'm sure I would've smacked right into a wall. Fortunately, I was seated. So, I just grabbed the table to keep myself from falling off the chair.

"You sure about all this?"

"Yeah. I think it's time, don't you?"

"Absolutely. I've been waiting for you to get serious for a while now. I'm proud that you've finally decided to do all this, and I will be happy to help you with all of your goals in anyway I can. When did you want to start?"

"Well, tomorrow or the next day should be soon enough," I said. I had to see Joe tonight, and might need a lot of alcohol to get through it. So, I thought maybe I should give myself one extra day.

"Joe's leading you to drink, Babe? That can't be good."

"Damn. I said that out loud, didn't I? I've really got to stop that."

He laughed. "Yeah, Babe."

I sighed. "I guess I'm not looking forward to dinner."

"Would you like to explain why?"

"Not really. Explaining it to him will be bad enough."

He just stared at me for a few minutes with his blank face in place. I started to fidget under his scrutiny.

Finally, he spoke. "Okay. How about you give me tomorrow to set everything up and then we can start the day after. Will that work for you?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Come over for dinner tomorrow and I'll run the plans by you then. Okay?"

'Okay," I agreed. "Thanks, Ranger."

I was a little bummed that he didn't mention anything about working at Rangeman, but I didn't want to push the topic. So, I grabbed my bag and headed to the door. As I passed Ranger, he snaked his arm around my waist and spun me around to face him. He leaned down and gave me a bone-melting kiss that almost had me in a puddle on the floor. When he broke the kiss, he looked at me and smiled.

"Babe, I've wanted you to work at Rangeman for a long time now." Damn ESP. "And now that your taking your job seriously, I'm even more positive about wanting you here. We can discuss the logistics tomorrow night."

I gave him my best smile, and before I thought about it, I leaned up and kissed him. I think I caught him by surprise because I never initiate our kisses, but he didn't seem to mind and quickly took over. When we finally broke a part, we were both breathing heavy and I was pretty sure my eyes had completely glazed over. He noticed my necklace right then and reached down to pick it up. Afraid he would see the inscription on the back, I grabbed it at the same time, then carefully showed it to him.

"I bought myself a present at the beach. Do you like it?"

He smiled. "Yeah, it's a lot nicer than the ones I've always worn."

He held my hand as he walked to the door with me, and we both got in the elevator. He gave me a peck on the forehead and stepped off on the fifth floor to go back to work.

Now what was I going to do until it was time for dinner with Joe? I didn't feel like looking for any skips today, but I should face the music and go see my mother.

RPOV

As I walked to my office, I couldn't help but smile. When Babe called yesterday and asked to speak to me, I was afraid she had decided to give in to all the pressure, quit bounty hunting, and marry Joe. I was terrified she was going to cut me out of her life, and I didn't know if I could handle that.

As I recalled our conversation, I thought about how proud I was that she hadn't caved to the pressure. I was ecstatic that she was finally taking her job and safety seriously. I was also really curious about the talk she was planning to have with Joe.

I knew it wasn't any of my business, really, but I hoped that she would be ending it with him for good this time. I had done everything I could to push her to him because I honestly thought he could give her what she wanted in life, but after seeing her personal list, I realized how wrong I'd been. It wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about Stephanie.

Until I meet my Babe, I thought I could read just about anyone, especially women, but she has proven me wrong time and time again. She wears her emotions on her sleeve for anyone to see, but that still isn't enough for me to understand exactly what goes through her head.

My life still doesn't lend itself to relationships, but in two months, the contracts I have with the government will be fulfilled. I've decided not to renew them this time for two reasons. First of all, I'm not getting any younger. There are guys a decade younger than I am who are better equipped to do my work. I've trained some of them, and I know I won't be able to keep up as I get older. My second reason was a little more selfish. I knew if I ever wanted the chance of "someday" with Steph, I couldn't be tied to the government. I couldn't be required to drop everything at the drop of a hat and disappear.

If I wanted my chance with her, I had to be able to give her more of myself than I could now. I still wasn't sure if I wanted to risk someone coming back from my past and hurting her, but if she started training and was able to keep herself safe, then maybe I would feel a little more comfortable taking the chance. Who was I kidding? I'd never be comfortable taking a chance with Steph, but that was because I was scared of laying my heart on the line. For the first time in my life, there was someone who could break me. Who would have thought it would be a skinny little white girl from the burg?

I always knew that she wasn't "Burg" material, but I still thought she wanted the whole white picket fence thing. I guess I was wrong, and now that I think about it, I'm not sure why I ever assumed that's what she wanted. I guess because that's what most women want. I just thought she would, too. I know I will never be a typical nine-to-five guy, but if she didn't want that, then maybe I could give her what she wanted. I knew I could give her everything she had on her list. I'd just have to wait and see how things went with Morelli and then take it from there.

SPOV

When I parked in front of my parents' house, I saw my mother and Grandma Mazur standing at the door, looking at me. What is up with that? I could really use some of that ESP when hunting skips. It would make catching them so much easier. Another one of life's little mysteries, I guess.

I climbed out of the Explorer and strolled up the walk. As soon as I got to the door, my mom started grilling me.

"Stephanie, where have you been? I can't believe you left town without telling me where you were going! What will the neighbors think? Celeste Manchini's daughter never takes off without telling her where she is going!"

I swear my mother could make a recording of herself yelling at me and just play it every time I walk in the door or answer the phone. The only difference is the names of the people she's comparing me to. I rolled my eyes and walked into the kitchen.

"Mom, you do know Celeste Manchini's daughter was locked in a mental ward after she trashed the Tasty Pastry because they were out of apple fritters."

"You know what I mean, Stephanie! Joseph didn't even know where you were. How could you not tell your fiancé where you were going?"

"He _is not_ my fiancé," I ground out. "And I didn't tell anyone where I was. That was the whole point of getting away." I didn't figure Ranger would ever tell her that he knew.

"Yes, but that shouldn't include your family and boyfriend," she replied.

"Yeah, you'd think," I muttered to myself.

"What was that, Stephanie?"

"Nothing, Mom! I'm back now. That's all that matters, right?"

Grandma decided to speak up then. "Stephanie, I heard you destroyed another car, and I see you're driving on of those big black cars. Did the bounty hunter with the nice package give it to you?"

I laughed at my grandmother's description of Ranger. "Yeah, Grandma. Ranger gave it to me, but it's just a loaner. I'm only using it until the insurance money comes and I can get a new car.

"How does Joe feel about you driving that man's car?" my mother asked.

I could hear the distaste in her mouth when she said "that man" and it immediately pissed me off.

"He'll just have to deal with it," I retorted back. "I don't see him offering to drive me anywhere or help me out, do you?"

"Stephanie, if you are going to marry Joseph, you need to put his needs before your own. It's what a woman does for her husband. I'm sure he would help you out if you got a regular job. Or better yet, you could just stay at home once your married."

Joe and I _are not now_ and _will never_ be getting married. You need to accept this. I do love him as a friend, but half the time I don't even like him anymore. I'm most definitely _not_ in love with him."

"Don't say things like that. He's a good man with a good job. He can take care of you and give you a stable life with a good family."

"Mom, that is what you want for my life. It isn't even close to what I want for my life. Either you don't understand that or you don't care, because I've been trying to tell you for years that being a stay-at-home Burg wife will never make me happy. There is nothing wrong with it, but it's just not right for me. I wish you could accept that and just want me to be happy." I sighed and grabbed my bag off the chair, getting ready to leave.

"Stephanie, I do want you to be happy, but you don't seem to know what you need to be happy. A family would give that to you."

"Oh, Helen, would you stuff it already," my grandma said. "Stop trying to force Stephanie into being a Stepford Burg wife. You already have your clone in Valerie, isn't that enough?"

My mother had enough after this statement and went for her iron.

"Thanks, Grandma," I said as I kissed her check and headed to the door.

"Bye, Mom," I said over my shoulder, but she had already started ironing the curtains and didn't reply.

Sometimes dealing with my mother was more exhausting than chasing down a wily eighty year old skip. I needed a nap. A good nap would make me forget about my mother and fortify me for the upcoming conversation I was going to have with Joe. I went home, slept a few hours, and then got ready to head to Joe's.

I didn't shower, shave, or do anything to beautify myself. This was to keep my hormones in check after I got there. Joe and I have never had any trouble with the sex part of our relationship, and that was probably the reason we keep getting back together. Well, that and the fact that he was comfortable and made my mom happy. I pulled my hair up into a messy ponytail, slipped on some baggy sweatpants and a big sweatshirt, and left.

TBC…

I have the greatest Beta's EVER! Lisa, you're an amazingly talented writer. Thanks for sharing your talent. Connie, I'm positive with out your creative ideas this story would be a complete dud. I still think you deserve partial credit for it. :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_Previously:_

"_Mom, that is what you want for my life. It isn't even close to what I want for my life. Either you don't understand that or you don't care, because I've been trying to tell you for years that being a stay-at-home Burg wife will never make me happy. There is nothing wrong with it, but it's just not right for me. I wish you could accept that and just want me to be happy." I sighed and grabbed my bag off the chair, getting ready to leave. _

"_Stephanie, I do want you to be happy, but you don't seem to know what you need to be happy. A family would give that to you." _

"_Oh, Helen, would you stuff it already," my grandma said. "Stop trying to force Stephanie into being a Stepford Burg wife. You already have your clone in Valerie, isn't that enough?" _

_My mother had enough after this statement and went for her iron. _

"_Thanks, Grandma," I said as I kissed her check and headed to the door. _

"_Bye, Mom," I said over my shoulder, but she had already started ironing the curtains and didn't reply. _

_Sometimes dealing with my mother was more exhausting than chasing down a wily eighty year old skip. I needed a nap. A good nap would make me forget about my mother and fortify me for the upcoming conversation I was going to have with Joe. I went home, slept a few hours, and then got ready to head to Joe's. _

_I didn't shower, shave, or do anything to beautify myself. This was to keep my hormones in check after I got there. Joe and I have never had any trouble with the sex part of our relationship, and that was probably the reason we keep getting back together. Well, that and the fact that he was comfortable and made my mom happy. I pulled my hair up into a messy ponytail, slipped on some baggy sweatpants and a big sweatshirt, and left._

**CHAPTER 4**

**SPOV**

After picking up some Pino's, I pointed the SUV toward Joe's, turning on the radio as I pulled out. A new song came on that I'd never heard before. As I listened to the words, I couldn't believe how fitting they were. It was as if the song were written about how Joe sees me and how Ranger makes me feel. It was kind of a kick-ass song. I loved it. I cranked up the volume and it totally got me psyched up for the conversation I was about to have.

_According to you_ by Orianthia

According to you  
I'm stupid,  
I'm useless,  
I can't do anything right.  
According to you  
I'm difficult,  
hard to please,  
forever changing my mind.  
I'm a mess in a dress,  
can't show up on time,  
even if it would save my life.  
According to you. According to you.

But according to him  
I'm beautiful,  
incredible;  
he can't get me out of his head.  
According to him  
I'm funny,  
irresistible,  
everything he ever wanted.  
Everything is opposite;  
I don't feel like stopping it,  
so baby tell me what I got to lose.  
He's into me for everything I'm not,  
according to you.

According to you  
I'm boring,  
I'm moody,  
you can't take me any place.  
According to you  
I suck at telling jokes cause I always give it away.  
I'm the girl with the worst attention span;  
you're the boy who puts up with that.  
According to you. According to you.

But according to him  
I'm beautiful,  
incredible;  
he can't get me out of his head.  
According to him  
I'm funny,  
irresistible,  
everything he ever wanted.  
Everything is opposite;  
I don't feel like stopping it,  
so baby tell me what I got to lose.  
He's into me for everything I'm not,  
according to you.

I need to feel appreciated,  
like I'm not hated. oh-- no--.  
Why can't you see me through his eyes?  
It's too bad you're making me decide.

According to me  
you're stupid,  
you're useless,  
you can't do anything right.  
But according to him  
I'm beautiful,  
incredible;  
he can't get me out of his head.  
According to him  
I'm funny,  
irresistible,  
everything he ever wanted.  
Everything is opposite,  
I don't feel like stopping it,  
baby tell me what I got to lose.  
He's into me for everything I'm not,  
According to you.  
According to you.

According to you  
I'm stupid,  
I'm useless,  
I can't do anything right.

(.com/watch?v=Pu1aQvm5MrU)

The song ended just as I was pulling up to the house. It was just what I needed to hear before I faced Joe. It reminded me of all the reason's I couldn't be with him anymore. Of course, it reminded me of all the reasons I wanted to be with Ranger, too, but I didn't need to think about that now. As Ranger'd once told me, I had to focus on my goal; and that goal was telling Joe I only wanted to be friends.

Joe opened the door for me as I stepped onto the porch. "Gee, Cupcake, glad you took the time to fix yourself up."

I rolled my eyes. Good grief. Was he going to make this easy for me or what? "After all this time, just seeing me should be enough. I shouldn't have to fix myself up for you if I don't feel like it."

"Really, Steph? Do you want people seeing you like this? It's embarrassing."

I pushed past Joe and walked into the house. I was already approaching rhino mode and I hadn't even put the pizza down.

"Embarrassing to whom, Joe?" I took a deep breath and started again. "No, you know what? I came over here tonight to talk to you, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to get sidetracked because you're being an asshole. So, sit down and listen."

"Come on, Cupcake. Why don't we eat some pizza first? There's a hockey game on, and after that, the boys want to show you how much they've missed you."

I rolled my eyes at Joe and _his boys_. "No, I don't want to watch a game with you or anything else." I stuck my hands on my hips and glared at him. "I want to talk, so we're going to talk. Now!"

Joe gave an exaggerated sigh and said, "Fine." He flopped down on the couch, pouting.

I took a deep breath and started talking. "After my car exploded, I decided it was time to make some changes. That why I went away for a few days, to think things through."

"Finally! It's about time that you came to your senses and gave up your ridiculous job to be with me."

I just stared at him. Was this man clueless?

"No, Joe, that isn't what I decided at all. In fact, I decided it was time for me to get serious about my job. I'm going to start training, exercising, and carrying my gun. But most importantly, I decided that I want someone in my life that will support me and my choices. I want someone that loves me the way I am and won't try to change me to fit into some preconceived notion of who he thinks I should be." My voice had risen as I listed the things that he had never given to me. I took a deep breath and lowered my voice. "What I decided was that I no longer want to be with you. Although I love you as a friend, I am not in love with you. And I want more, no I need more, than you are capable of giving me."

While I was talking, Joe's face had gone an angry shade of red, and I realized that I couldn't place all of the blame on him. We'd both made this mess.

"I admit, I've never been the person you needed me to be," I told him. "I should have realized the reason you wanted me to give up my job and be Betty Crocker was because that's what you needed from a relationship. If I'd thought about it, then maybe we could have come to this decision sooner, because I will never be a Burg wife. I know that's what you want and need, and I want you to have it Joe. But I can't be the one to give it to you, that's just not who I am. I'm sorry."

"That's because you've never tried, Cupcake," he yelled at me as he stood up and starting waving his hands. "If you would just give up your job, then this wouldn't even be an issue. But no! You've got to run around, rolling in garbage, hanging out with Ranger and his goons, acting like a whore, just like your friend Lula."

Had he even heard what I'd said? He just kept right on going, too. Spewing his venom and digging his own grave.

"You're lucky I let you in my bed! Nobody else ever will. Everyone knows you've whored yourself out to Ranger. No one will ever touch you if you leave me."

That was it. All thoughts of having a grown up discussion and trying to end this relationship as friends flew out of my mind as my vision turned into a red haze. My hand acted of it's own accord, reaching out and slapping Joe across the face. _ Smack! _

Shit! How the hell did that happen? I wondered for a split second. Oh, yeah. He just called me a whore and insulted all of my friends. He deserved it.

"God dammit, Stephanie!" Joe screamed as he rubbed his face.

"You know, I'd hoped we could remain friends, but obviously that isn't going to happen." I grabbed my things and headed to the door. "And just so you know, I'd rather be Ranger's whore than waste one more second with you. Thank you so much for making this easy for me. Goodbye!"

Joe's hand shot out and he grabbed my arm. "Where the hell do you think your going?" he sneered. "We're not done here."

"Well, I'm done. Now let go of me."

I tried to pull away, but he grabbed my other arm and held both of them tightly. I was going to have some fantastic bruises later.

"Where are you going? Are you running back to your pimp? He's nothing but a criminal! He'll never be able to give you the family and respectability that I can. Why can't you see that!"

"Ranger has nothing to do with my decision. This is all about us." I struggled in his grasp. "We're through, Joe! Now let go of me!"

"We will never be through, Stephanie. You belong with me, not some common street thug!" he screamed, shaking me.

Fear and panic started to creep in. I had never seen this side of Joe and didn't know how to react. I tried to pull away from him again, and he let go of one of my arms. I felt relieved until he pulled his now free hand back and backhanded me across the face. He hit me with such force that I was knocked to the floor. The side of my head slammed into the coffee table on the way down, and black dots swam in my field of vision. I blinked them away and pushed myself up, thinking I had to get out of there.

Joe just stood staring at me in shock. I didn't bother to ask what he was thinking. Instead, I grabbed my things and ran for the door. My hands were shaking so badly that I could barely get it open. As soon as I got in my car, I started to cry, but I was afraid to stay outside of Joe's place for long, so I started the engine and took off for my apartment with tears streaming down my face.

I couldn't believe that Joe had hit me. I couldn't even process what had just happened. Next thing I knew I was pulling into my parking lot. I was so bewildered that I didn't even remember the drive here. I must have been in shock because I didn't even register the shiny black Mercedes parked right by the door.

I rode the elevator upstairs with silent tears running down my face, blaming myself for turning Joe into his father. If I had only made these decisions earlier and realized I couldn't be what he wanted or needed, none of this would've ever happened.

_Damn does my freaking head hurt_, I thought as I let myself into my apartment and found Ranger there.

"I didn't expect to see you here this early," Ranger said, coming out of my bedroom.

He came to a screeching halt when he saw my face. For once Ranger didn't have his blank face on. For once I could easily read him. Shock turned quickly to anger, then rage slowly spread across his face.

"What the hell happened to your face?" he asked me. His voice, hardly more than a deadly whisper. It sounded like a stranger's, there was such rage in it.

I gasped and stepped back, feeling uncharacteristically frightened by his anger. I knew Ranger would never hurt me, but after what had happened with Joe, my mind just wasn't in the right place. Ranger seemed to realize this, and his face softened as he walked towards me.

"Steph? Babe, what happened?"

Crap. This was the last thing I wanted to deal with. "Nothing, Ranger. I don't want to talk about it. Just let it go, okay?"

"You can ask a lot of me, but do _not_ ask me to ignore someone hurting you. I can't do that."

I looked up at him, and when I saw the concern in his eyes, I crumbled. Ranger came over, picked me up, and carried me to my couch. He held me while I sobbed my heart out. This was so not how I envisioned this night ending. I had expected yelling and hand waving and maybe some name calling, but nothing like this. I just couldn't help but think it was all my fault. Just like always, I'd screwed everything up.

"Babe, you ready to talk to me?" Ranger asked, barely above a whisper.

"No. Do we have to do this tonight? I just want to go to sleep. Please, my head is killing me from where I hit the coffee table. I just want to go to bed."

I felt him tense up as soon as the words left my mouth. Huh, guess he hadn't noticed the bump. He gently reached up to my head searching for the spot. I instantly winced when he touched it and heard him let out a breath. I would have said he sighed, but Ranger never sighs.

"Okay, Babe. But I'm staying with you tonight."

"You don't have to do that. Really, I'm okay."

"It's not open for discussion, Stephanie."

Uh oh. He used my full name. He must be serious.

"You won't tell me what happen, and I won't leave you here alone without knowing who hurt you, even though I'm pretty sure who it was." The last part he ground out between clenched teeth. "That's a pretty big bump on your head. You could have a concussion. So unless you'd rather I take you to the hospital, you can't be alone."

I sighed, knowing that arguing with him was pointless. "Fine. I'm going to go take a shower."

Ranger stopped me and looked into my eyes searching for something. I'm not sure what he saw, but his face softened and he leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

"Okay. I'm going to call Bobby. He can come over and check you out."

"That's completely unnecessary."

"Not up for discussion, Babe. It's either Bobby or the hospital."

I tried to roll my eyes, but my head was hurting so badly, I had to stop myself. Instead, I climbed off Ranger's lap and walked into my bedroom, grabbing some pajamas before going into the bathroom.

I wanted to take a long, hot shower, but the longer I was in there, the more my head hurt. I needed to get out and put some ice on it. I climbed out and dried off. I had to stifle a scream when I looked in the mirror and saw the bruise forming on my face from where Morelli had slapped me. Each of my arms had bruises in the shape of Morelli's fingers. It was official; I looked like a battered woman. Crap. Well, I wasn't going to let this get the better of me.

I got dressed and padded out to the living room where Ranger was talking to Bobby. Ranger's jaw clenched when he looked at me, then he walked over and gently took my hand and guided me to the couch.

"Hey, Bomber. How are you feeling?" Bobby asked as he pulled out a pen light and flashed it in my eyes.

"Okay. My head hurts a little."

He went through the normal concussion routine checklist.

"Looks like you have a minor concussion. You'll need to be woken every two hours, and you should put some ice on your head. Remember ten minutes on, ten minutes off. Frozen peas work well, but here's an icepack if you need it."

I thanked him and accepted the icepack.

"Sure, Bomber. Let me know if you need anything else."

Bobby and Ranger did their silent communication thing and then Bobby got up and left.

"Okay, Babe. Let's get you to bed."

Feeling too tired to argue, I let him lift me up and carry me to bed. Any other time, having Ranger carry me to bed would cause some major hot flashes, but tonight I was just too wiped out to care.

I curled up in a ball and watched as Ranger took his utility belt and shoes off. When he took off his shirt, I admit my hormones stood up and paid attention. I mean, I was exhausted, not dead. He climbed in behind me, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed my forehead.

"Get some sleep. You're safe. I'm not going anywhere."

I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that until he said the words. I inhaled the yummy Bulgari scent that was Ranger and finally felt safe. Part of me had been terrified that Joe would come here in the middle of the night, and I wouldn't be able to stop him. Knowing Ranger would protect me, I drifted off to sleep feeling safe and loved.

**RPOV**

I knew Steph was over at Joe's tonight, I'd pulled up her tracker to check. Since I was out already, rather than call, I'd just slip in and leave her a note about running with me in the morning. I didn't want to wait until tomorrow night to see her and I thought this was the perfect excuse. She had given me a lot to think about and I was curious to see what her mood would be after her visit with Joe. Dios, the only person in the world that makes me impatient is my Babe. I was surprised when I heard her door open as I walked out of her bedroom after leaving the note.

"I didn't expect to see you here this early," I said.

Surprise doesn't begin to describe what I felt when I looked up and saw her face. She had obviously been crying, but that wasn't what shocked me most. It was the bruising and swelling across her cheek that had me ready to kill someone.

"What the hell happened to your face?" I asked. I was beyond pissed.

I knew where she was. I had checked the GPS before I stopped here to leave the note. I might not be Joe's biggest fan, but I never thought he would hurt her. I thought he would keep her safe. That was the only reason I could even stomach them together. I thought he loved her.

My anger at Joe was slowly turning into anger at myself for being so stupid, but before I got too far along that line of thinking I heard Steph gasp and step away from me. I realized she was scared. My Babe was scared of me? _Dios._ She knew I would never hurt her. As I looked at her face, I saw the war raging inside. I could see that she knew it, but after what happened tonight, her faith was a little shaky. That was completely understandable. I had to calm myself before I walked towards her.

"Steph? Babe, what happened?" I asked, taking her face in my hands.

She just sighed and looked away from me. Obviously, she wasn't going to make it easy for me to go kill the cop.

"Nothing, Ranger. I don't want to talk about it. Just let it go, okay?" she asked me.

That wasn't something I could do. "You can ask a lot of me, but do _not_ ask me to ignore someone hurting you. I can't do that." I replied.

When she looked at me, I saw the exact moment she reached the end of her rope and she collapsed in a pile on the floor crying her eyes out. It broke my heart, so I did the only thing I could do for her. I scooped her up in my arms, walked her over to her couch, and held her while she cried herself out. When the tears stopped streaming down her face, I thought I could finally get some answers.

"Babe, you ready to talk to me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice soft and soothing.

"No. Do we have to do this tonight? I just want to go to sleep. Please, my head is killing me from where I hit the coffee table. I just want to go to bed."

When she said that she'd hit the coffee table, I felt my whole body tense up. I was so stunned by the bruise on her face that I didn't think to look for anything else. I gently felt the large bump forming on the side of her head, causing her to wince.

I could feel the anger in me building, but I didn't want to scare her anymore than she already was. I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm myself down. I couldn't force her to tell me. She would just shut me down. But I could make sure she was safe until I had a chance to kill the cop, so I relented with a sigh.

"Okay, Babe. But I'm staying with you tonight."

"You don't have to do that. Really, I'm okay."

"It's not open for discussion, Stephanie. You won't tell me what happen, and I won't leave you here alone without knowing who hurt you, even though I'm pretty sure who it was." I tried to keep myself calm. Just thinking about Joe hitting her made me want nothing more than a few minutes alone with him. "That's a pretty big bump on your head. You could have a concussion. So unless you'd rather I take you to the hospital, you can't be alone."

There was no way I was going to leave her here alone knowing that Morelli could show up at any time.

"Fine. I'm going to go take a shower," she replied.

Good. That would give me a chance to take care of a few things. I stopped her before she climbed out of my lap and looked in her eyes to see if she really was okay . After assuring myself that she was alright, I gave her a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Okay. I'm going to call Bobby. He can come over and check you out."

"That's completely unnecessary."

"Not up for discussion, Babe. It's either Bobby or the hospital."

I could tell she wanted to roll her eyes but thought better of it before she climbed off my lap and headed to the shower. My poor babe, her head must really be hurting for her to pass up a good eye roll.

As soon as she closed the door, I pulled out my phone and started making phone calls. I called Bobby first, telling him that I needed him to check Steph out. I didn't give him any specifics because I wanted to know the facts first. Since she has been injured so often, Bobby didn't even ask any questions. He just told me he'd be here in ten. My next call was to Tank.

"Yo."

"Tank, I want someone on Morelli starting ten minutes ago. And I want to be notified if he comes within a mile of Steph's apartment."

"What's going on Ranger?" Tank asked, concern evident in his voice.

I knew he cared about her, too, even though he has been blown up and broken working with her. All of my men loved Steph.

"I don't have any details and probably won't until tomorrow. But I want to know where he is every second."

"No problem, Boss. I'll send Ram and Cal out right now."

"Thanks. I'll fill you in as soon as I know more"

"Sure."

I disconnected, then turned off the ringer on Steph's phone. I also shut off her cell phone. The last thing she needed was to be bombarded with calls from her mother, and I definitely didn't want Joe to be able to reach her.

I sat down on the couch, thinking of what exactly I was going to do to Officer Morelli when Steph confirmed he had hit her. Although Joe thinks I'm a criminal, he really has no clue who I am. I have no problem operating outside of the law. With all the Black Ops and field work I've done, I've learned that the law can work against people who are innocent. So sometimes I ignore the law in favor of doing the right thing.

What Joe didn't know is that I'd spent the past five years working undercover assignments for just about every alphabet agency there is. I have connections he couldn't even imagine. I could easily kill him and make sure no one ever found the body, but I knew Steph would be very unhappy with me if I did. I guess I didn't need to kill him, I could just ruin him instead. It wouldn't be as satisfying, but it would be better than nothing. I was brought out of my thoughts when Bobby knocked on the door.

"Hey, Boss. Where's Bomber?"

"Shower. She should be out in a few minutes. She needs her cheek checked, and she hit the side of her head on a coffee table."

"Okay. I'll check her over, but it would be better to get her a CAT scan since she hit her head."

I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Right, not gonna happen" Bobby muttered. "What's going on, Ranger?"

"Nothing I want to talk about right now. Here she comes."

When I saw her walk into the room, my jaw clenched at how bad the bruise on her cheek looked. I also noticed the hand shaped bruises on her arms for the first time. It made me want to kill Morelli all over again, but I needed to focus on my Babe right now, the cop could wait. I needed to make sure she was okay. I walked over to her, took her hand, and brought her back to the couch.

"Hey, Bomber. How are you feeling?" Bobby asked.

"Okay. My head hurts a little."

He preformed a few tests, checking her pupils and responses. I don't think she realized that she flinched every time Bobby touched her. I realized then that she was still afraid, and I needed to find a way to put her mind at ease. I needed her to feel safe again.

"Looks like you have a minor concussion. You'll need to be woke every two hours, and you should put some ice on your head. Remember ten minutes on, ten minutes off. Frozen peas work well, but here's an icepack if you need it."

"Thanks, Bobby," she replied, taking the icepack.

As Bobby stood to leave, he gave me an almost nod telling me to call if she got worse. I nodded back and then turned my attention to Steph. She suddenly looked like she was going to fall asleep where she sat.

"Okay, Babe. Let's get you to bed," I said and picked her up, carried her into the bedroom, and put her in bed.

I took off my gun belt, shoes, and shirt and climbed in behind her. As I wrapped my arms around her, I breathed her scent in. This was my Babe, my calm, my center. I would do anything to keep her safe.

"Get some sleep. You're safe. I'm not going anywhere," I told her as I kissed her forehead.

Her entire body relaxed into mine, making me happy that I seemed to calm her just as she did me. I lay there watching her as she slept while I thought about the fact that maybe she wasn't the only one that needed to make some changes in her life. Maybe it was time for me to step up and be what Stephanie wanted and needed. These thoughts swirled through my head, and I finally drifted to sleep thinking that I didn't want to waste anymore time waiting for "someday" to come. I needed to make "someday" happen.

**TBC…**

**Thanks Connie & Lisa. You are both absolutely FABULOUS!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.

WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.

_Previously:_

_As Bobby stood to leave, he gave me an almost nod telling me to call if she got worse. I nodded back and then turned my attention to Steph. She suddenly looked like she was going to fall asleep where she sat. _

"_Okay, Babe. Let's get you to bed," I said and picked her up, carried her into the bedroom, and put her in bed. _

_I took off my gun belt, shoes, and shirt and climbed in behind her. As I wrapped my arms around her, I breathed her scent in. This was my Babe, my calm, my center. I would do anything to keep her safe._

"_Get some sleep. You're safe. I'm not going anywhere," I told her as I kissed her forehead. _

_Her entire body relaxed into mine, making me happy that I seemed to calm her just as she did me. I lay there watching her as she slept while I thought about the fact that maybe she wasn't the only one that needed to make some changes in her life. Maybe it was time for me to step up and be what Stephanie wanted and needed. These thoughts swirled through my head, and I finally drifted to sleep thinking that I didn't want to waste anymore time waiting for "someday" to come. I needed to make "someday" happen._

CHAPTER 5

SPOV

I slowly drifted into consciousness, but before I opened my eyes, the pain radiating in my head made itself known. Ugh. Why is my bed moving? It was then that I realized someone was climbing into my bed. When I felt that familiar tingle down my spine, I knew it was Ranger.

Damn. Did I get drunk last night? Then, I remembered. Oh, God, no! Memories of what happened at Joe's came flooding back. I felt tears begin to form, but I pushed them away. I would _not _be a victim. I would face this as New Stephanie. I did denial last night out of years of habit. Today, I wanted to face my demons, and that meant I would have to tell Ranger what happened.

"Good morning, Babe," As usual, his ESP was working.

"Morning, Batman," I replied, slowly opening my eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"My head feels like it's splitting in two."

He climbed out of the bed and walked into the bathroom. When he came back, he handed me two Advil and a glass of water.

"Thanks."

"Sure. Think you're ready to get up?"

"Yeah, just give me a second."

"Take your time. I'm going for a run, then I'll pick up some things for breakfast. I've already started some coffee. Why don't you take a shower and get ready. We can talk when I get back."

I sighed. Even thought I knew I was going to tell him everything, I definately wasn't looking forward to it. "Okay," I said as I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

Before I started the shower, I decided I needed coffee first. Ranger was already gone, so I fixed my coffee and stared out the living room window. I couldn't believe that it was just yesterday I was coming back from the beach, feeling excited about starting a new chapter of my life. I didn't realize that closing the old chapter would be so difficult. As I thought about everything, I realized that this didn't change any of my plans.

I had hoped that I would be able to end my relationship with Joe and remain friends, but that obviously wasn't going to happen. I know I shouldn't have slapped him, but I couldn't believe the things he said to me. I never knew he could be so cruel, or that he thought so little of me. But that didn't give him the right to do what he had done. I never would've dreamt that he'd hit me. Guess I didn't know Joe as well as I thought. I drank the last of my coffee and made my way back to the shower. It was time to get ready to face the day.

After showering and dressing, I headed into the kitchen, where I found Ranger cooking. I did a double take. Yes, Batman was actually in my kitchen, cooking. I moved closer to see what he was making. Pancakes, bacon, and omelets. I was stunned, and he could evidently tell by the look on my face.

"It's all healthy, Babe," he said, smiling. "The pancakes are made with whole wheat. The bacon is turkey bacon. And the omelets are only egg whites and soy cheese."

"I can't decide what is more shocking. That you're in my kitchen cooking breakfast, or that you're cooking something that looks and smells good."

He laughed at that statement. "Sit down and I'll fix you a plate. We have some things we need to discuss."

"Well, at least you're feeding me before putting me through the Cuban inquisition," I said as he set a plate in front of me.

"Okay, so tell me what happened last night," Ranger said, after he sat down at the table with a plate of his own.

So, I started at the beginning and told him everything. I began by explaining why I had decided to end things with Joe. Then I told him about everything that happened at Joe's. I didn't leave anything out. I figured he'd know if I had. He was, after all, Batman. Ranger listened without interrupting, but I could feel his tension building with each word I said. When I was finished, I looked him in the eye and waited for his response.

Even though he had his blank face on, I could feel the anger radiating off him. I was afraid he might yell at me, but he didn't. After what felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, he seemed to calm down. Then he surprised me. Instead of lecturing me, like I expected, he stood up, walked around the table, picked me up, and kissed me senseless. _Wow! _As I came out of my lust induced haze, I realized he was talking to me.

"I'm so sorry, Babe. I thought he was good for you. I thought he could give you everything you wanted and needed, everything I couldn't give you. That's the only reason I sent you back to him. Please forgive me, I thought he loved you and would take care of you. I never thought he would hurt you."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He was blaming himself? Was he crazy? I mean, seriously, he didn't force me to go back to Joe. A part of me was pissed that he thought he had that kind of control over me, but he looked so sad and upset I couldn't bring myself to be angry with him. Ranger was showing emotion. No, that wasn't true. Carlos was showing emotion.

"What are you talking about? This isn't your fault. Okay, so telling me to go back to him wasn't the best advice, but I'm the one who chose to be with him. I am my own keeper. I make my own decisions. If anyone is at fault, it's me. I am the one who was willing to settle for second best, just so I wouldn't be alone." Oops. That might've been a little too much information to give to him. I didn't want to give him a chance to question me so I quickly continued on.

"It doesn't matter who's at fault. What matters is what I do now. I am not going to curl up in a ball, cry, and feel sorry for myself. I am tired of being the victim. I want, no, I need to start training. I want to be able to take care of myself, so I don't have to bother you or your men. I want to make sure nothing like this ever happens to me again. Only one thing has changed since yesterday and that is the irrevocable damage to my friendship with Joe. I still want everything I wanted yesterday. Are you still willing to help me?"

He was still holding me, and when I looked into his eyes, I saw more emotion than I thought he was capable of. Some of it was confusing, but it gave me a little hope that maybe Carlos cared about me more than he had admitted.

"Of course I still want to help you. That hasn't changed either, Babe. And for the record, you never bother me. It would only bother me if you didn't come to me for help." He kissed me on the forehead and pulled away from me. "I'm going to hop in the shower. Be right back," he told me.

While he was showering, I fed Rex and finished my coffee. When he came out, he was dressed as badass Ranger and he looked just as yummy as always. I discreetly checked for drool and then sat down on the couch with him while he tied his boots.

"So what are your plans regarding Morelli?" he asked.

"Honestly, I just want to forget it. It only happened once and I'm moving on. I mean, I did slap him."

"I don't care if you broke his dick; he had no right to touch you," Ranger growled.

Yikes, Batman was still pissed off.

"I know that, but I'm not in the mood to deal with all the drama that goes with pressing charges. The Burg will never give me a moments peace. I just want to get on with my life. I knew we were over before I went there, but I still wanted to be friends. Now I know that isn't a possibility. I'm sure once he's calmed down, he'll just avoid me, and that works just fine for me."

"All right, Babe, I understand. But if he comes near you again, I want you to press charges."

"Agreed. If you promise not to beat him to a bloody pulp."

"Okay, I won't beat him to a _bloody_ pulp," he smiled at me.

I could tell he had already found a loophole in that request, so I thought I should clarify. "Ranger, I meant at all. I know you."

"I agree not to physically hurt him for now, but I will be talking to him and making it very clear that if he ever touches you again, I will do much worse than beat him to a bloody pulp. I'm also going to have one of the guy's work with you today, just in case Morelli comes looking for you. Make sure you stop by my office and pick him up."

"Ranger-" I started to protest.

"Not open for discussion, Babe."

Before I could say anything else, his cell phone rang.

"Yo," he said, then after a pause, "Be there in ten."

"I've got to go. Are you going to be okay alone?"

"Yep. I'm going into the office for a little while to see if Connie has any skips for me. We still on for tonight, or do you want to reschedule? You know you never did tell me why you were here last night." I couldn't believe I was just now remembering to ask him.

"I was leaving you a note about running this morning." He grinned at me before adding,"Why would I want to reschedule? I'll see you tonight at seven. Is that okay with you?"

"Works for me!"

Ranger pulled me towards him and gave me a toe-curling kiss. When he moved away, I'm pretty sure my eyes were a bit glazed.

He grinned and said, "Not poaching anymore." Then he winked at me. Ranger winks? "Gotta go, Babe! Don't forget to pick up one of the guys before you head out today."

After one last kiss, he was gone. Well, I'd better get ready and then pick up my Merry Man of the day. I needed to go to the office and get the next inquisition over with.

RPOV

I went down and got into my car after my conversation with Steph, thinking about all the things I needed to do. I was already late for the morning meeting, which never happens. Tank seemed to think it was funny when he called. I didn't really care. I had more important things to worry about than a morning meeting. I called Tank back on the drive to Rangeman.

"Yo."

"I want one of the guys with Steph today. Preferably one of the core team. I'll want to talk to the three of you after today's meeting, too."

"Sure, Boss. We're just waiting for you to get here. I've never known you to be late for a meeting. Something must have seriously been distracting you." I could hear the smile in his voice and really wasn't in the mood for it.

"Be there in three." Not bothering to acknowledge his insinuation.

I didn't even pay attention to the morning meeting. I was trying to think of what to do with Morelli. I was also coming up with different ways to make him disappear if my other ideas didn't pan out. Promise or not, I wasn't going to underestimate Joesph Morelli again. I still felt incredibly guilty for pushing her to the cop because I thought he was basically a good guy. I couldn't believe how wrong I was. I promised not to physically hurt him, but that was all. There where plenty of other things I could do to him.

I had hoped Steph would press charges, but wasn't surprised that she didn't want to. Even though the Burg was obsessed with her, she always tried to stay out of the gossip.

I also couldn't stop revisiting something she had said this morning. She was settling for second best, just so she wouldn't be alone. At first, I was afraid she meant there was someone else, but when she had realized what she said, the embarrassed look on her face had me wondering if it was me she was talking about. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. At the end of the meeting, Ram gave an update on Morelli's activities from the time they started tailing him.

"Cal and I picked Morelli up at his house. He was just heading out when we got there. We followed him to a bar where he stayed for the next three hours. When he came out, Terry Gilman was with him. They went back to his place and were still there when Cal and I came off shift. Hal and Vince are there now."

Looks like he was a true Morelli, boozing, womanizing, and beating women, I thought.

I nodded to Ram. "Dismissed. Lester, Bobby, and Tank stay."

I waited until the others left before I started. I didn't want everyone to know Stephanie's business, but I wanted to be sure my core team was aware of the situation. I also needed to speak to them about helping with her training. I only had two months left to go on my contract, but I knew I would have at least one more mission, and I wanted them to be there to help her if I had to leave.

"Okay, Ranger, what's going on?" Tank asked as soon as the four of us were alone.

"I'm going to give you the reader's digest version. Steph should be here soon, and I was hoping one of you would be able to ride with her today."

"Yeah, Tank mentioned it to me and I'm free for the day,"Lester replied. "So what's up?"

"Steph came to me yesterday asking for my help. She wants to start training, exercising, and carrying her gun. She would also like to continue working here either part time or full time, depending on the agreement we make about her still working at Vinnie's."

"It's about time," Tank said and smiled.

"Cool, more Bomber time." Lester had to add.

Bobby just smiled and laughed at Lester.

"I wanted to make sure you guys were okay with her working here on a more permanent basis first, and I also wanted to know if you will help with her training. You know my contract is up in two months, and we all know the chances are good that I'll be called for one last mission. I just want you guys to be there when I can't."

"You know we'll help Bomber out, Boss," Tank told me. "And we love it when she works here."

Bobby and Lester both nodded their heads in agreement.

"What does all this have to do with Morelli?" Bobby asked. "And how did she get hurt last night?"

Tank and Lester hadn't known she was injured last night, so they both gave me a questioning look.

"Steph isn't just making professional changes in her life. She also decided that she wanted to end things with the cop. Permanently."

"About time," Lester muttered.

"Yeah, well, last night she went to tell him that and he didn't take it to well. First, he called her my whore." I could actually feel the anger that began to radiate off of my friends. "Things went downhill from there and he backhanded her and she fell into the coffee table."

All three men looked murderous. We all had problems with any man that would lay a hand on a woman, but this was someone we all loved. She was like a little sister to them, and she was the only woman I had ever truly been in love with. That realization kind of caught me off guard. Fortunately, my friends were too distracted, thinking about ways to kill Morelli, to notice.

"So we get to kill him, right?" Bobby asked, and the rest of the guys nodded and seemed to be expecting the same thing.

"Why the hell didn't you let us kill him last night?" Tank growled.

The fury coming from my oldest friend was obvious, and I completely understood it. In the military we learned to look out for our own, and somewhere along the way, Stephanie had been added to that list. As I realized this, it made me see just how much a part of my life Stephanie Plum had become. She was a part of all our lives now.

"She wouldn't tell me what happened until this morning. I assumed it was Morelli because I knew she had been planning to see him. I didn't want to force her to tell me last night because she was too upset. I stayed the night to make sure he didn't show up, and I had hoped I could get the story out of her this morning. I was actually surprised today when she told me everything without me having to pry it out of her. She also told me that she wasn't going to press charges."

I could tell my friends were not happy with this decision, but it was hers to make, not ours.

"She doesn't want to deal with the Burg drama. I had to promise not to physically hurt him. However, I've been thinking about other ways to hurt him. That's why I want a guy with her. I'm not sure what the cop will do. She thinks he's just going to avoid her now that he's calmed down, but I'm not so sure. I already misjudged him once, and I won't make that mistake again. We might need someone with her for a few days until we see what he's going to do. I was also hoping to work out a schedule for her training with you guys."

"Ranger you know we'll do whatever it takes to keep Bomber safe. She's like our little sister," Tank told me.

"Yeah and you promised _you_ wouldn't kill him, never said we wouldn't," Lester added, with a smirk.

Even though Les was a pretty light-hearted and funny guy, he was also ruthless when the need called for it, and from what I could tell, he felt that it was definitely called for in this situation.

"That's true. I did tell her that I would be talking to Morelli and making it clear he had better stay the hell away from her, though. I thought you guys might want to join me on that errand."

I watched as the glee spread across there faces. "We'd love to," Tank replied, with Lester and Bobby nodding their heads in agreement.

"Okay. First thing tomorrow morning, we'll stop by the cop's place and let him know to keep his distance," I told them.

"Now, before she gets here, what do you guys think about her training? I figured I would cover the exercise, but I might need some help with the weight training. I also want her to get some technical training for the security side of things, and I thought Hector and Manny could cover that. If she's going to be here permanently, I want her to understand the whole business, not just part of it. I hope that after some time we can get her working with clients. I think they would be more comfortable with her. She's also going to need some B&E training, driving techniques, maybe some first aid, and of course working on the gun range and self-defense training."

"I'll do her self-defense and driving training," Tank said. "I can work in some takedown techniques and other general combat training, too."

"I can do the B&E training and range work," Lester volunteered.

"And can get the first aid and weight training you don't cover," Bobby added.

We worked out a schedule I thought Steph could live with and were just wrapping up when Hector came in and told us that Steph had pulled in. I had another meeting I needed to go get ready for, so Lester headed downstairs to meet her.

TBC...

Many thanks to Connie and Lisa for all their help on this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

"_Now, before she gets here, what do you guys think about her training? I figured I would cover the exercise, but I might need some help with the weight training. I also want her to get some technical training for the security side of things, and I thought Hector and Manny could cover that. If she's going to be here permanently, I want her to understand the whole business, not just part of it. I hope that after some time we can get her working with clients. I think they would be more comfortable with her. She's also going to need some B&E training, driving techniques, maybe some first aid, and of course working on the gun range and self-defense training."_

"_I'll do her self-defense and driving training," Tank said. "I can work in some takedown techniques and other general combat training, too." _

"_I can do the B&E training and range work," Lester volunteered._

"_And can get the first aid and weight training you don't cover," Bobby added._

_We worked out a schedule I thought Steph could live with and were just wrapping up when Hector came in and told us that Steph had pulled in. I had another meeting I needed to go get ready for, so Lester headed downstairs to meet her._

**CHAPTER 6**

**SPOV**

I pulled into the Rangeman garage to pick up my Merry Man De jour and wondered who and how much Ranger had told them. I'm sure he told them the truth but I really hoped he hadn't told everyone. This was going to be hard enough without everyone and their brother knowing. I still hadn't decided what I was going to tell Lula and Connie. I couldn't come up with a good enough fib because I hadn't gone after any skips since the last time I'd seen them. Oh well, I'll just have to wing it I guess. I saw Lester come out of the elevator as soon as I came to a complete stop. He smiled and walked over to open my door. As soon as he saw at my face, the smile disappeared only to be replaced with a frown.

"Hey Beautiful, how are you feeling today"

"I'm fine Les, my head hurts a little but other than that I'm good"

"Are you sure you're up to working today? Maybe you should take a few days off until you've had some time to heal." he asked.

"No, I'm good to work. Thanks for asking though." I told him.

He escorted me to his Explorer and helped me inside. Lester was quiet as we pulled out of the Haywood garage and headed towards the Bonds office. I thought I'd better make some things clear before his protective mode got to be more than I could handle.

"Les, I'm gonna guess Ranger told you what happened. First off, thank you for caring and taking your time to baby-sit me today, but I need to make something completely clear to you. I agreed to have one of you guys come with me because I just didn't see the point of arguing, but make no mistake I am not a fragile porcelain doll. I am not broken. I _**do not**_need to be babied. I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine, really. If you are going to treat me like I'm going to fall apart at any moment, you can turn this car back around and drop me off at my car. Are we clear?" I said ,as I looked over at him. He had a full-blown smile going on which confused me a little.

"Beautiful, I'm glad to see your Jersey attitude still intact. Ranger only told Tank, Bobby, and I, so don't think all of Rangeman knows what's going on and your message is received loud and clear! And for your information, I am not baby-sitting you; I'm just your backup today. So, what's the plan for the day?"

"I'm going to the office and see if Connie has any files for me. Then decide from there I guess."

"Are you going to tell them how you got the shiner?"

"I haven't decided yet. Figure I'll just wing it."

"Ok I'll follow your lead then." He replied as we pulled into the office.

I scanned the street looking for any sign of Joe. I told Ranger that I thought he would just avoid me and I did believe that, well, for the most part anyway. There was still a part of me that was afraid he wouldn't. I was still a little worried about what would happen when I finally did see Joe. Althought I'd never admit it, this was probably the real reason I didn't argue with Ranger about having a guy with me. I let out a sigh of relief when I didn't see any sign of him and headed into the office.

"Girl, what the hell happened to you? You didn't have that shiner when you left here yesterday!" Lula eyed me suspiciously.

"I fell and hit the coffee table." There I had told her the complete truth. I just omitted the part about Joe causing it. I grabbed myself a donut and sat down on the couch by Lula. Lester grabbed one too and sat in a chair by Connie's desk. I watched Connie eye Lester and smiled as her eyes raked up and down his body before Lula barged on.

"Really White Girl?… That's the story you're going with, cause I ain't buying it. Looks to me like someone is still showing you no respect. I seen lots of shiners like that back in my time as a Ho and every time it was cause some asshole done backhanded the girl. You got your own personal Merry Man for the day too. So, you seriously want me to believe that you fell and hit a coffee table? I know you be planning on seeing Super cop last night. And the Burg's goin crazy about Joe closin down The Brass Alley Pub with that Gilman bitch last night." My eyes widened in surprise. Not about Joe, because honestly after last night I don't think he could surprise me. I was shocked that I hadn't been inundated with phone calls.

I searched through my bag, pulled out my cell phone, and realized that it was turned off. Huh, I didn't remember turning it off. Maybe Ranger did so I wouldn't have to deal with the Burg. Oh well gotta face the music sometime, I thought. I turned it on and about fell off the couch. 54 new messages! I really didn't want to listen them. Maybe I should just go change my number and get a new phone. NO, that's what the old Stephanie would do. The new Stephanie faced her problems. With that in mind, I entered my pass code and turned on the speakerphone. I figured it would give everyone a good laugh, but boy was I wrong.

The first message was from Joe. "Cupcake, you've just made a big mistake. Mark my words, you belong to me and you will be mine."

I felt a chill go down my spine. I just ignored the looks I was getting and went through the rest of my messages. Half were from my mother asking why she has a daughter who can't keep a man happy enough to keep him from going somewhere else to find it. A few were from Marylou, Connie, and Lula all asking if I was ok and if I needed anything and what kind of revenge I had plotted for Joe for going out with Terry. That made me smile, at least I could count on my friends to care about me even if my mother didn't. The rest were from Burg busy bodies trying to get the scoop from me. I decided I'd call Mary Lou back tonight and deleted the rest of the calls. I wasn't sure what I was going to do about my mother. What was there to say, honestly? I was kind of lost in my thoughts until I finally realized everyone in the office was staring at me.

"Steph, sweetie, are you ok? Connie asked looking concerned.

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine, just zoned out for a minute there. So Connie, have any files for me? I need to be busy. And I need sugar, lots more sugar." Lula, who had just picked up the last donut, handed it to me.

"You need this way more than I do girlfriend." I smiled at her and grabbed the files Connie had for me.

"Thanks! You ready to head out Lester?" He had been uncharacteristically quiet during all this. He just looked over at me, nodded his head and we headed out the door.

"Everything ok Les?" I asked as we climbed into the Explorer

"Yeah, are you ok?"

"I am honky dory. You ready to chase some bad guys? " I replied, trying to give him my best smile. I was not going to let my mother and Morelli get to me.

"Sure, who first?"

"Let's see. We've got Jacob Wilson, first time offender, public indecency. It seems he decided to run naked down the street after taking a few to many controlled substances, topped off with a bottle of Jack. Next up is Brandy Carlotti. She took a baseball bat to her boyfriend's car when she caught him cheating, unfortunately, she turned it on him when she got tired of the car. He's still in the hospital with multiple broken bones. Yikes! Last, but not least we have Steve Stevens. Wow, his parents must have thought real hard on that one. He's wanted for armed robbery, but it seems he ran out of the bank without any money after the teller yelled at him for pointing a gun in her face." Lester laughed out loud about that one.

"Your choice beautiful, this is your show; I'm just your muscle for the day." He replied.

"I say we go for the drunk first. He might still be passed out in bed if we're lucky." I said, as he started the car and pulled into traffic. The rest of the day went by without a problem. We brought in Jacob and Brandy, but couldn't find Steve. Lester hauled them into the police station so I wouldn't have to risk seeing Joe. And I wasn't covered in anything. All in all, it was a pretty good day in the world of Stephanie Plum. I asked Lester if he would mind stopping at my parents on the way back to Haywood. I was hoping for some emotional support when I faced my mother. He agreed, muttering something about crazy old lady's trying to feel him up. When we pulled up to the house, my mother was waiting at the door. Dad's car wasn't there so I guess he was driving the taxi. Since Grandma wasn't at the door, I didn't figure she was here either.

"Doesn't look like Grandma Mazur is here, Lester. At least you don't have to worry about getting groped," I laughed.

"Thank God" Lester muttered, as we climbed out of the Explorer and headed into the house

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, what is wrong with you?" my mom asked as she closed the door.

"What are you talking about? There isn't anything wrong with me?"

"Oh really? Then why is that nice Morelli boy going out with other women Stephanie? Why me? Why do I have a daughter who can't keep a man? Obviously, you have done something to push him away. I'm sure it has to do with that thug you insist on hanging around with and his friends." She pointed at Lester. The hurt I was feeling was suddenly over shadowed with anger for her insulting Ranger and my friends.

"Mother, Ranger is NOT a thug. All of his men are great guys. Next to Mary Lou, they are the best friends I've ever had. Ranger is a good man. Next to Daddy, he is the best man I know. He keeps me safe. He respects me. He's honest and trustworthy. He supports me and lets me fly. And he would never raise his hand to a woman unlike that 'nice Morelli boy' you seem love so much. How can you blame me for Joe sleeping with another woman?"

"Well Stephanie what do you expect. A man can only handle so much. I'm sure he didn't do anything you didn't deserve. Maybe it will knock some sense into that thick head of yours. I want you to go to Joe's right now and apologize for whatever it is you have done this time. You will not be welcome in this house until you have worked things out with him. Do you understand me young lady?" As I felt the tears start running down my face, I tried to think of something to say to make her understand, but I realized it was pointless. I will always be Stephanie the screw-up to her. I tried to get angry but I just hurt too much. I just nodded to my mother.

"Ok Mom, if that's what you want then I won't be back because I can promise you I will never work things out with Joe again. Especially not after he gave me this." I pointed to the bruise on my face. I picked up my things and walked out of the house. I don't even remember getting into the car, but the next thing I realized we were pulling into Rangeman. Tears were still running down my face as Lester parked the truck.

"Steph, Beautiful, why don't you come upstairs? I'm sure Ella would be happy to make you some dessert" Lester asked.

"Thanks Lester but, I just want to go home. I need to be alone right now. I'm sorry my mother said those awful things about you."

"Beautiful you have nothing to apologize for. I can't believe your mother treated you like that. Are you sure you won't come up. I don't think you should be alone."

"Yeah I'm sure. Would you mind telling Ranger that I can't come to dinner tonight? I'll call him later and reschedule or something. I really don't want him to see me like this." I said as I slid into my driver's seat.

"Ok Beautiful, I'll tell him. Steph, if you need anything, you call. Me, Ranger, Tank, it doesn't matter who, just call ok."

"Okay. Thanks" I replied and headed out of the garage.

**RPOV**

I had spent the day in boring meeting after meeting. I had just gotten out of my last one when Lester got back from spending the day with my Babe. The look on his face, when he got off the elevator, had me worried that they'd had a run in with Morelli, but I knew he would have called if that had happened. As soon as he saw me he nodded towards my office. I headed that way, followed closely by Bobby and Tank. I closed the door and we all sat down waiting to see what had Lester so upset.

"Her mother is a world class Bitch. I can't believe a woman would ever treat her child like that. Especially someone like Stephanie. I can't even think of a word bad enough to describe that woman." Lester rambled on. I needed him to tell me what had happened so I cut in.

"Lester! Explain!" I barked at him. He jumped at my voice and shook his head as if realizing where he was for the first time.

"Huh! Oh, right! Sorry. Today was actually pretty good. We got two of her skips. We didn't run into the cop, but he did leave her a voicemail saying she had made a huge mistake and that she belonged to him. I don't think he's given up on her yet, but that wasn't the worst of it. Before we came back here, she wanted to stop by her parent's house. I really didn't want to face her Grandmother," We all cringed, knowing exactly how scary that could be. Lester continued on "but I figured she could use all the support she could get. Boy was I right!"

He proceeded to tell us how horrible Steph's mom had been towards her. I don't think any of us knew what to say. Lester was right. How could a woman treat her daughter like that? Telling her to go back to a man who had hit her and blaming her for him sleeping with another woman. There was something very wrong with her mother. I felt so bad for my Babe, but the things she said about me and my men made me love her even more. I couldn't wait to see her tonight so that I could try to make her feel better. I was lost in thought while Tank and Bobby were talking about Steph's mom being a nut job when Lester spoke up again.

"Oh yeah, Boss. I forgot to tell you, Steph said that she wanted to cancel tonight and that she'd call you and reschedule later. I tried to talk her into just coming up before she left but she said she needed to be alone and she didn't want you to see her that upset. You're not going to listen to her though, right? Because the last thing that girl needs is to be alone. What a freakin shrew her mother his." He added as he shook his head.

Lester was right, the last thing she needed was to be alone. I glanced down at my watch. It was almost 6 now. I would go upstairs and change, then order all her favorites from Rossini's. I could pick it up on my way to her apartment. That decided, I got up and headed out of the office.

"Thanks Lester. I'm offline until you here from me." I told them as I left.

"We've got it covered Boss. You just take care of Bomber." Tank replied.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie, you're a great Beta!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

_He proceeded to tell us how horrible Steph's mom had been towards her. I don't think any of us knew what to say. Lester was right. How could a woman treat her daughter like that? Telling her to go back to a man who had hit her and blaming her for him sleeping with another woman. There was something very wrong with her mother. I felt so bad for my Babe, but the things she said about me and my men made me love her even more. I couldn't wait to see her tonight so that I could try to make her feel better. I was lost in thought while Tank and Bobby were talking about Steph's mom being a nut job when Lester spoke up again._

"_Oh yeah, Boss. I forgot to tell you, Steph said that she wanted to cancel tonight and that she'd call you and reschedule later. I tried to talk her into just coming up before she left but she said she needed to be alone and she didn't want you to see her that upset. You're not going to listen to her though, right? Because the last thing that girl needs is to be alone. What a freakin shrew her mother his." He added as he shook his head. _

_Lester was right the last thing she needed was to be alone. I glanced down at my watch. It was almost 6 now. I would go upstairs and change then order all her favorites from Rossini's. I could pick it up on my way to her apartment. That decided I got up and headed out of the office._

"_Thanks Lester. I'm offline until you here from me." I told them as I left._

"_We've got it covered Boss. You just take care of Bomber." Tank replied. _

**CHAPTER 7**

**SPOV **

I drove home from RangeMan on auto-pilot. I felt like I was drowning in heartbreak, and I didn't know what to do to make myself feel better. As many times as Ranger had told me that I needed to be more aware of my surroundings, you'd think it would have stuck, but I was evidently too upset to notice Joe's truck in the parking lot as I headed for my apartment. I had just closed and locked my door when I heard him.

"About time you got home, Cupcake," Joe sneered, as he walked towards me. "We need to talk." Crap, I could smell the alcohol on him from three feet away. This was so not good.

"Joe, I think we've covered everything that needs to be said. Why don't you just go ahead and leave. I'm sure Terry could make time for you."

As soon as it left my mouth, I knew I had made a big mistake. Joe's face flashed with rage. I tried to back up and get to the door before he got ahold of me, but I wasn't quite fast enough. I slammed into the door when his fist connected with my face. Little black dots swam into my vision, but I shook them off, trying to get to my bag that held my cell and stun gun. Quickly realizing this was my plan, he kicked the bag and its contents across the room.

"Where do you think your going, Stephanie? You're not going to walk away from me this time!" he growled, grabbing my hair and yanking me towards him.

I didn't try to stop the scream that erupted from my throat. Maybe if I was lucky, my neighbors would hear me. Maybe one of them had left their hearing aid in, and they would call for help. It really was my only hope. I had canceled with Ranger, so I knew he wouldn't be coming to my rescue this time. I tried to get Joe off me, but the more I struggled, the harder he hit me. As he slammed my head off the floor twice, everything started fading to gray. It was then I felt him rip my shirt open. Realizing what was about to happen, I fought off the dizziness and tried to fight him again.

"When are you going to realize, Cupcake? You belong with me. I'm going to make sure everyone knows that you are mine! Once I'm done with you, no one will ever touch you again," he slurred, as he slammed my head into the floor one more time.

This time, I didn't fight the dizziness or the blackness as it enveloped me. Instead, I welcomed it. It would be better than being conscious and remembering what he was about to do to me. As my world faded to black, my last thought was, _Ranger_. Nothing more, just_ Ranger_.

**RPOV**

After I picked up the food from Rossini's, I headed over to Steph's place. I wasn't sure how I would find her, so I had even stopped at the Tasty Pastry and got her some "Death By Chocolate" cake to go along with her tiramisu. I had forgotten to grab my overnight bag because I was too preoccupied thinking about my Babe, so I called Tank and asked him to drop it off for me. For some reason, I was feeling anxious about seeing her and didn't want to turn around to pick it up.

"Yo."

"Tank, I need you to drop off my bag at Steph's."

"Sure thing, Boss. Bobby and I were headed out for a surveillance shift. We'll drop it off on the way. I was getting ready to call you. The cop spotted our tail and had some of his buddies run interference by pulling Junior and Woody over. They lost him."

"Dammit, how the hell did he spot them? They are going to be on monitor duty for a fucking month. I'm almost to Steph's now. Make sure they find him and don't lose him again!"

I guess some of my men needed more training on how to run a tail. This was completely unacceptable.

As I pulled into her parking lot, the first thing I noticed was the cop's truck. Shit! I jumped out of the car almost before it was in park, and took off running for the entrance. Something was very wrong. I knew I had to get to Stephanie, now. I flew up the steps to her apartment just in time to hear her scream fill the air. I kicked the door open and felt my blood run cold, at the sight in front of me.

Morelli was on top of an unconscious Stephanie, trying to rip her clothes off. I saw red, and all human thought left my head. All I knew was rage. I lost every ounce of the control, in that second, that I had spent years perfecting. I went at Morelli with everything I had. I'm not sure how long I spent beating on him. All I knew was that I wanted to kill him with my bare hands for what he had done to my Babe. I wanted to inflict as much pain as possible before I killed him.

The next thing I knew, Tank and Bobby were pulling me off him, talking to me, telling me that Stephanie needed me. Nothing got through to me until Tank said Steph's name. As soon as I heard it leave his lips, I broke out of my rage-induced trance. I turned towards her and realized she was starting to come around. Bobby was looking her over as I went to her. I needed to touch her. I needed her to know I was there and that everything would be okay. I didn't even look over at Morelli again, and really didn't care if I'd killed him. That had been my intention, after all. When I heard the sirens, I turned to Tank.

"Is he alive?" I asked.

"Yeah, unfortunately he is. Too bad. You definitely did some damage," Tank replied.

Giving him a nod, I turned my attention to Bobby.

"Cover her up before anyone else gets here." Bobby nodded and got up to find a blanket. "Come on Babe! Open those beautiful eyes for me."

I leaned over her and kissed her forehead. She had started to move a little, and was trying to open her eyes when the police arrived. The first one in the door was Eddie Gazarra, followed by Carl Costanza and Big Dog. I knew they were three of Steph's good friends. I watched them take in the scene. Looking from Steph to Morelli and back, finally it was Eddie who spoke up first.

"Ranger, what happened?" I could tell he was really hoping that it wasn't what it looked like.

"I don't know what happened before I walked in the door but when I got here I found Morelli on top of her, ripping off her clothes. After that, I kicked his ass," was my reply.

"Ranger, I don't think Joe would ever hurt Stephanie. Maybe you misunderstood what you walked in on," Carl suggested.

"Did you look at her, Carl? What the fuck does this look like to you? The man beat her unconscious, and was ripping of her clothes when I got here. Does that seem consensual to you? What exactly do you think I walked in on?" 

"Fuck!" he muttered.

"Is he alive?" Eddie asked, walking over to an extremely battered Joe.

Joe started to come around about that time. I tuned out everything else and focused back on Stephanie. When I looked down at her, I saw her beautiful blue eyes looking back at me.

"Hey, Babe."

"Ranger," she mumbled, but her eyes lost focus and once again she passed out .

I was beginning to to wonder where the hell the paramedics were when they walked into the room. They quickly assessed the situation and got to work . Everything got hectic after that point. Police were coming in and paramedics were trying to work on both Stephanie and Joe. Eventually, I heard Joe start yelling, although it was more like slurring.

"I want Manoso arrested for assaulting a police officer," Joe tried to say, but it didn't come out very well.

Looks like I might have broken his jaw. This, at least, gave me a little satisfaction. I would have been much more satisfied if he wasn't breathing at all.

"Why don't you shut the fuck up, Morelli? From what I can see, you deserved everything you got and more," Eddie told him obviously disgusted.

It seemed that every cop in the room agreed. Well, that would make things easier, because I wasn't about to leave my Babe's side. If they wanted to arrest me, they were going to have to drag me away from her. The only person in this room even remotely capable of doing that was Tank, and I had no doubt where his loyalty lay. I was walking a very thin edge with my sanity right now. If Steph wasn't going to be okay, then Morelli was going to pay. I would kill him slowly, and enjoy every second of it, for hurting the woman I loved.

"We need to get her to the hospital. She's not showing any type of response. She's got a very serious head injury here," the paramedic said, as they packed up their things and headed to the ambulance. My heart froze. She had to be okay! No other outcome was acceptable.

"I'm going with her," I said forcefully.

"Sir, you can meet us at the hospital." I started getting angry again.

I stepped toward the paramedic. I noticed all the color drain from his face, but before I could do anything, Tank stepped between us.

"He will be going to the hospital with her. It's not open for discussion. He has her medical power of attorney, so this shouldn't be a problem. Do you understand?" Tank asked. Between the two of us, the paramedic looked like he might actually piss his pants.

"Yes, s-sir. N-no p-problem," he stuttered.

I held Steph's hand all the way to the hospital, whispering to her in Spanish. I kept telling her how much I loved her, and that I wanted our 'someday' to start today. We pulled into the emergency room bay, and she was immediately rushed back to the ER. The nurse forced me to stay outside. It was all I could do to keep myself from ripping her throat out, but I knew this wasn't her fault. They needed to focus on taking care of Stephanie, so I bit my tongue and tried to reel in my anger. Taking a seat in the ER waiting room, for the first time in years, I did the only thing I could. I prayed.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie for all your help and ideas. Big Props to JenRar for all her editing skills. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada. **

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you. **

**DISCLAIMER****: I am not medically trained at all. I just pieced information together from the Internet so if my treatment or anything is wrong I apologize before hand.**

****_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

"_I'm going with her," I said forcefully. _

"_Sir, you can meet us at the hospital." I started getting angry again._

_I stepped toward the paramedic. I noticed all the color drain from his face, but before I could do anything, Tank stepped between us._

___"He will be going to the hospital with her. It's not open for discussion. He has her medical power of attorney, so this shouldn't be a problem. Do you understand?" Tank asked. Between the two of us, the paramedic looked like he might actually piss his pants. _

"_Yes, s-sir. N-no p-problem," he stuttered. _

_I held Steph's hand all the way to the hospital, whispering to her in Spanish. I kept telling her how much I loved her, and that I wanted our 'someday' to start today. We pulled into the emergency room bay, and she was immediately rushed back to the ER. The nurse forced me to stay outside. It was all I could do to keep myself from ripping her throat out, but I knew this wasn't her fault. They needed to focus on taking care of Stephanie, so I bit my tongue and tried to reel in my anger. Taking a seat in the ER waiting room, for the first time in years, I did the only thing I could. I prayed._

**CHAPTER 8**

**RPOV**

I wasn't sure how long I sat there waiting, but Tank finally came over and sat down with me.

"I called her parents. They're on their way," he told me.

I took the time to look around for the first time since we'd arrived, nearly an hour ago. When I did, I realized that half of my staff was in the ER waiting room, along with Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, and a lot cops that were friends with Steph. Even a few of her skips were in the waiting room. Only my Babe, I thought. She brought light and happiness to everyone she knew. Without her, a lot of our lives would have been a whole lot darker.

"Thanks. I should have thought of that. Hopefully her mother stays home, because I can't deal with her shit right now. How long have we been here?"

"A little over forty-five minutes. I called her parents about thirty minutes ago, so they should be here anytime."

"What's taking so long? I just need to know she's alright," I muttered, more to myself than anything.

I was really having a rough time holding it together. Tank seemed to realize this and tried to reassure me.

"Bomber's tough, man, you know that. They're probably just running tests. You have her medical power of attorney, so you'll be the first to know anything."

As soon as he finished his sentence, I heard her mother's ranting echoing down the hall. When I finally saw her, it seemed like she was headed my way, followed closely by Mr. Plum and Grandma Mazur. Great, this is just what I needed. I reminded myself that Steph would be very upset if I killed her mother, so I took a deep breath and looked at her with my usual blank face.

"What has my daughter done now? How dare you attack Officer Morelli! You're nothing but a thug! Why aren't you in jail? This is all your fault. If it wasn't for you, my daughter would be married and having children, like she is suppose to. Instead, she's running around, making a fool of her self and embarrassing her entire family."

Before I could reply, or break her neck, Frank spoke up. His voice was booming with an authority I had only heard from my superiors in the Army. I knew a little about his military experience, so I wasn't surprised. From the looks on everyone else's face, I was the only one aware that this supposedly mild-mannered man had been in the Rangers and had retired a full Colonel from the Army. 

"What the hell are you talking about woman? You should be thanking this man for saving our daughter from being raped or killed by '_Officer Morelli'_. And how dare you call our daughter an embarrassment! She is an amazing woman, and I will not stand by any longer and let you insult her. I have had enough of your bitching and whining because Stephanie wants to be her own person, instead of a clone of you. 

"For God's sake, look in the mirror, woman. Why would anyone want to be like you? You've become a pathetic, bitter woman, who I should have left years ago. Now go sit down and shut the hell up. If you don't think you're capable of that, then you can leave right now, because I've had enough of your shit to last a lifetime," he told her.

I actually smiled a little at the look on Helen Plum's face.

"B-but Frank, how can you speak to me like that? I'm you're wife!"

"How can I speak to you like that?" he growled "How can you speak to your daughter the way you did today? Do you think I haven't heard what you said to Stephanie? Do you think I don't know that you ordered her to go back to a man who beat her and cheated on her more than once or you wouldn't let her back in my house? Yes,_**MY**_ house. You have no say in who comes and goes."

By the shocked look on her face, I guess that was exactly what she had thought. I was surprised Mr Plum knew about Morelli's extracurricular activities. I'd only found out recently, and hadn't had a chance to decide what to do about it yet.

"Oh, yes, I know all about it." Frank continued, "Did you think your mother wouldn't tell me how you treated your own daughter? Yes, Helen, your mother was upstairs and heard every last word you said to Stephanie. Why do you think she left without speaking to you, and hasn't spoken to you since we picked her up at the senior center? She can't even bear to look at you, because she was so ashamed of YOU. By the way, since you enjoy 'Burg gossip so much, I'll tell you here in front of all these witnesses. As soon as I know Stephanie is going to be all right, I intend to divorce you. You went too far this time, Helen! I want nothing more to do with you. I'm through." He turned away from her and proceeded towards me.

"Frank! You can't mean that!" she cried and promptly fainted. Everyone stood still for a few seconds.

Grandma Mazur walked over and poked Helen with her foot a few times. "Maybe she was switched at birth. That's the only reason I can come up with for her being such a horse's patoot," Grandma Mazur said, as she walked away and left her daughter lying in the middle of the waiting room floor.

"Well, at least she shut up," Frank said over his shoulder as he continued towards me.

"I understand it was you who saved my little girl from Morelli. I want to thank you son. You have always been good to my daughter, keeping her safe but still helping her be her own person. I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate it."

"I wouldn't thank me yet, Mr. Plum. We still haven't heard anything from the doctors. I only left her alone for a few hours. If I had kept someone on her, this wouldn't have happened. It's my fault. I didn't want to be as strict on her guards since I had my men on Morelli, too, but he spotted them and had one of his cop friends pull them over, and they lost him," I admitted, slumping down in my chair and running my hands through my hair.

"First, call me Frank. Secondly, this is Morelli's fault, not yours. You have nothing to feel responsible for. There is only so much you can do. Keeping Steph out of trouble has always been a full-time job. She's tough and head strong. Don't blame yourself; I certainly don't. Morelli is the only one I blame for this. I never liked that boy. He has always treated my daughter poorly. I was never more proud of her than the day she ran him over with the Buick for what he did to her in the Tasty Pastry," he smiled.

"I've kept my mouth shut these past few years, hoping she would realize he wasn't good enough for her. I had promised myself if she ever decided to marry him, I would make my feelings known. I didn't want her to get married for the sake of her mother again, but I knew it would be better if she figured it out on her own. I knew the Morelli men were capable of a lot of things, but I never thought anything like this would happen. If you don't mind, would you tell me exactly what happened? I'd like to know exactly why I'm killing him when he gets released from the hospital."

The look on his face when he said this had me thinking that he might not be joking. I was okay with that. In fact, I'd gladly help him hide the body. Keeping that in mind, I proceeded to tell Frank everything I knew.

When I finished, I looked at Frank, who on the surface looked remarkably calm, but I could feel the anger radiating off him. Before he could reply, the ER doors opened and a doctor walked through.

"Mr. Manoso?" he questioned the room at large. I stood up.

"I'm Carlos Manoso," I replied, gesturing for Frank to follow me.

"I understand you have Ms. Plum's Medical Power of Attorney?" I nodded.

At some point, Helen must have come to and found a seat in the waiting room, because before I could reply, she screeched.

"What? He has no say over my daughter, Stephanie. He's nothing but a…."

Frank silenced her with a look that could turn anyone's blood to ice. The doctor was looking a little confused, so I stepped in.

"Yes, Doctor, Stephanie is an employee at my company and I have the Medical Powers of Attorney for all my employees, due to the nature of our work."

"Okay, well, if you come with me, I'll explain Ms. Plum's condition."

"This is Stephanie's father, Frank. I would like him to be present also."

"That's fine. Follow me," he replied and headed through the doors to the ER.

We followed the doctor through the ER. He stopped outside the room I assumed Stephanie was in. It took everything I had to stand outside. I just wanted to be near her and touch her, but I needed to know what the doctor had to say. From the look on his face, I didn't think I was going to like the news.

"My name is Dr. Bernard Genarro. I work at Johns Hopkins, but I happened to be in town for a conference. I was asked to consult on Ms. Plum's case, because I specialize in brain trauma. Now that you know some of my background, let me explain to you about my patient's condition. Ms. Plum has a basilar skull fracture of her occipital bone. Basically, she has a severe fracture at the base of her skull. Alone, this injury would not require any surgery. Unfortunately, she also has an epidural hematoma below her parietal bone. The dura is the membrane around the brain that attaches to suture lines where the bones meet. So she is bleeding between her brain and skull, which is causing pressure within the epidural space to build. If this pressure isn't released, it could cause significant brain damage or death."

The more the doctor talked, the harder it was for me to breathe. I actually had to lean against the wall to make sure my legs didn't give out on me. It was much worse than I'd expected.

"Right now, Ms. Plum is in a coma, brought on by the hematoma. Her Glasgow Coma Score is a ten, which falls in the middle of the scale. Most people whose comas are caused by a epidural hematoma can expect a complete recovery if they receive the craniotomy quickly. We have already started her on seizure medication to try and stop any seizures that may be caused by the head trauma. Other neurological effects are possible, but I feel that if she has the surgery immediately, she should recover without any long term effects."

I took a few seconds and tried to wrap my brain around what he was saying before I replied.

"And if she doesn't have the surgery?" I needed to understand all my options.

"Without the surgery, she will more than likely die. If she doesn't die, she will have severe brain damage."

"I don't understand. She opened her eyes at the apartment and said my name."

"It isn't uncommon with this kind of brain trauma for the patient to regain consciousness for what is called a lucid interval, then fall rapidly into unconsciousness later. I'm not going to lie to you. She is very critical. If we can get her through the surgery and get the pressure to go down, I think she has a good chance of recovery. Unfortunately, we have to get the pressure down first."

I looked at Frank. She was his daughter, and he had a right to tell me what he thought before I made any decisions. He just gave me a nod of his head.

"Perform the surgery. I'll take care of any of the paperwork you need me to," I told him. I was hanging on by a thread. Maybe the menial task of paperwork would keep my mind busy while the rest of me absorbed what was going on.

"I'll go prep now. The surgery normally takes two to three hours. She's in this room. They'll be down in a few minutes to take her to surgery, but you can see her until then. I'll send someone out with the consent forms immediately." He motioned to the room behind him before heading off to prepare for surgery.

Frank and I walked into the room and took up positions on each side of Steph's bed. I reached out for her hand. I needed to touch her. I wanted her to know I was here. There were tubes and IVs everywhere, but what struck me most was that she was completely still. It was very unsettling. My Babe was always in motion. Everything she did, she attacked it with wild abandon, even sleeping. Seeing her like this had me terrified. I couldn't lose her, not now that I had finally decided to tell her how I felt. Now that I had decided to ask her to be mine.

"Babe, you're going to be okay. I need you to be okay. I love you, and I want our someday. You need to come through this surgery and get better so I can give you everything you deserve," I whispered to her, not caring that Frank was listening to every word I said.

"Well, it's about time you got your head out of your ass. I was wondering when you were going to come to your senses," Frank told me. I must have looked surprised. "Oh, please, the only people that didn't know how the two of you felt about each other were the two of you," he said, and gave me an eye roll that would make my Babe proud.

"Do you hear that, Pumpkin? You need to get better so you can put this poor man out of his misery. I love you, little girl." He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

About this time, the orderlies came in to take Steph into surgery. I leaned down, told her I loved her again, and kissed her forehead before they wheeled her out of the room.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie and Jenny for all your help. You guys are great!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada. **

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

"_Babe, you're going to be okay. I need you to be okay. I love you, and I want our someday. You need to come through this surgery and get better so I can give you everything you deserve," I whispered to her, not caring that Frank was listening to every word I said. _

"_Well, it's about time you got your head out of your ass. I was wondering when you were going to come to your senses," Frank told me. I must have looked surprised. "Oh, please, the only people that didn't know how the two of you felt about each other were the two of you," he__said, and gave me an eye roll that would make my Babe proud. _

"_Do you hear that, Pumpkin? You need to get better so you can put this poor man out of his misery. I love you, little girl." He leaned over and kissed her cheek._

_About this time, the__orderlies came in to take Steph into surgery. I leaned down, told her I loved her again, and kissed her forehead before they wheeled her out of the room._

**CHAPTER 9**

**TPOV**

I looked around the room at all the faces anxiously waiting for Ranger and Mr. Plum's return. My gaze settled on Mrs. Plum, and I wondered for the hundredth time how that woman could not see what a wonderful person her daughter was. I could hear her muttering "Why me?" over and over again. She stood up and walked over to the corner, where the newest arrivals had sat down. I don't know why it surprised me after all that she had said, but I was still stunned she would go offer comfort to them.

Right after Ranger and Mr. Plum had left to speak to the doctor, the Morelli family had arrived to see Joe. As soon as they walked in the door, the tension in the room raised to a boiling point. Not only were his mother and grandmother here, but his brother, Anthony, and cousin, Mooch, had come with them. This had me slightly worried. I wasn't sure how Ranger would react when he saw the family. If Anthony or Mooch said anything about Bomber, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop Ranger. I could see he was hanging on by a thread, and only Lester, Bobby, and I knew exactly what he was capable of.

Ranger was a good man. He was like a brother to me. He was the most honorable man I knew, but he was the ultimate soldier. He was the perfect killing machine, and he had to work very hard to keep that side of him under control when he wasn't in a combat situation. I had noticed that it had become easier for him once Bomber became part of his life, but it was still there under the surface. I had no doubt that if Bomber didn't come through this, the monster that terrified enemies around the world, with just the mention of his name, would be let out for everyone to see. If that happened, I wasn't sure I'd be able to reign him back in. I looked at Lester and Bobby and nodded for them to meet me outside.

"You as worried about the Boss as I am?" Bobby asked when the doors slid shut behind him.

"Yeah, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. He's having a rough time holding it together. If the news about Bomber is bad, I'm not sure he'll be able to control himself. With Morelli only a few feet away in the ER, I think we need to be prepared for anything. Bobby, I want you to have a sedative ready. Lester, you and I are on Ranger. Tell Ram and Cal to be ready for anything. One of us should have been with him when he went to speak to the doctor. From now on, Bobby, make sure you're at his side at all times until we know Bomber is going to be okay. Understood?"

"I already thought of the sedative, and have one ready," Bobby told me.

"Don't worry, Tank, we've got Ranger's back. We won't let him kill the cop when there are witnesses present," Lester replied.

I knew all the men were ready to take care of Morelli. It seemed everyone already knew what Ranger had walked in on. Every guy at RangeMan was either half in love with Bomber, even though she was off limits, or thought of her as their little sister. We all wanted to kill the cop for what he did. But right now, we needed to focus on Ranger and Bomber, so we headed inside just in time to see Ranger and Mr. Plum coming out the ER door.

The look on Ranger's face told me this wasn't going to be good news. Bobby, Lester, and I discretely took up places surrounding Ranger. The fact that he didn't seem to notice had me more than a little worried. He hadn't even noticed Morelli's family sitting in the far corner. This wasn't good. Ranger never missed anything.

As soon as everyone realized Ranger and Mr. Plum were there, the room went completely silent, and all eyes focused on Ranger. It was Frank that spoke up though, as Ranger sat down in the nearest chair and put his face in his hands.

"Steph has a severe skull fracture at the base of her head. She also has bleeding between her skull and brain, which has caused her to slip into a coma. The doctors are going to do surgery to release the pressure building in her brain, and hopefully she will be okay. The doctor thinks if he can get her through the surgery and get the pressure released, she will make a full recovery. Right now, all we can do is wait. They have already taken her into surgery. It will take between two and three hours before we know anything," Frank told the room.

A nurse came through the door of the ER and handed Ranger some paperwork and a small bag. He took it without looking up and started filling out the paperwork. His face wasn't blank as usual, and for the first time in years, I could see everything he was feeling. I saw pain, worry, exhaustion, rage, and despair. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if Bomber didn't come through this surgery, Ranger wouldn't either. Of course it went without saying that Morelli wouldn't either, but who really cared at this point?

The rest of the room broke into chaos when Frank finished. Everyone was upset and worried about Bomber, and questions were flying through the room. Frank stepped forward and talked to all of Bomber's friends and family. I kept my focus on Ranger, because it was very clear he was almost at his breaking point. I have known him for years, and I've never seen him like this. He seemed lost. It was terrifyingly unnerving. Bobby caught my eye, and I knew he was thinking the same thing. I started to walk over to talk to him, when I heard Mrs. Morelli speak up.

"I want to know why that man over there hasn't been arrested. He tried to murder my son. I want him in jail now. He had no right to hurt my son. What happens between Joseph and Stephanie is none of his business."

Mrs. Plum was standing beside her, nodding her head in complete agreement. After I got over my shock of Mrs. Plum's agreeing with the cop's mother, I realized Mrs. Morelli was speaking to Eddie and Carl, who were both staring at her like she had lost her mind.

When I turned back to Ranger, I realized that he was no longer lost. In fact, he seemed like he was beyond pissed off. Well, shit! Lester, Bobby, and I were beside him in a second.

"Rangeman, you need to let this go. She's just an old woman that wants to believe her son can do no wrong. Just ignore her," I said while I stepped in front of him, blocking Mrs. Morelli from his view.

He calmed down a little, until Morelli's idiot brother spoke up.

"Yeah, why is he free, when you've got my brother handcuffed to a hospital bed like a common criminal? He's the criminal," Anthony spouted off, pointing at Ranger. "This is his fault anyway. Everybody knows about the trips behind the alley of the bonds office. If you ask me, Stephanie got exactly what she deserved. She's nothing but a two-timing tramp."

Lester, Bobby and I all grabbed ahold of Ranger. But before Ranger could get around us to go after him, Anthony was out cold on the floor. I had told Hal to sit close to the Morelli's as a last ditch effort to keep Ranger from them. It seems all I really did was make sure someone could get to the them before Ranger did. I smiled at Hal, until I heard his mother and cousin yelling about having Hal arrested. Ranger had stepped back, no longer ready to attack, but he was still radiating rage. When Anthony finally came to, he said he wanted to press charges. Shit, this is the last thing we need to deal with. I guess it's better than Ranger being arrested for killing Anthony. I knew no matter what happened, there was no way Ranger was leaving this hospital until Steph did.

Eddie looked at Carl and nodded his head, before heading towards Ranger and me. Carl walked over, cuffed Hal, and lead him out of the building. I could tell Ranger was still too pissed off to deal with this. I angled myself in front of him so Eddie could talk to me instead. Eddie went a bit pale as he approached us and noticed the look on Ranger's face.

"Listen, I know Anthony totally had it coming, but there's nothing I can do. He decked Anthony in front of a room full of witnesses. We have to take him in." Ranger was just glaring at Anthony, so I answered.

"We understand. I'll have one of the guys follow him down and get him bonded out. Maybe you should have them go into Morelli's room." I nodded towards the Morellis. "I'm not sure them being out here is a good idea right now," I told Eddie. He looked at me and Ranger, then around the room at everyone glaring at the Morellis and nodded his head.

"I'll see what I can do. This is just one big cluster fuck. I can't believe it's actually happening," Eddie said, but I think he was just thinking out loud.

I knew he was friends with Steph and Morelli, so this had to be hard on him. He shook his head and walked over to the Morelli's family. While he was talking to them, I told Woody and Junior to go take care of Hal. I knew they were blaming themselves for losing Morelli, and I wasn't sure how Ranger felt about them right now. Given the situation, I thought getting them out of here would be best for all parties involved.

After a few minutes, the Morellis, along with Mrs. Plum, stood and followed Eddie into the ER. From the look on Frank Plum's face as he watched her walk through the ER doors, I'd say she'd be lucky if all he did was divorce her. As soon as the door closed behind them, it was like a giant weight had been lifted. Everyone, including Ranger, seemed to relax a little. I walked over and sat down by him.

**RPOV**

"Carlos, how you doing, man?" Tank asked me.

I just stared at him. How was I doing? I don't even know. I felt like I was drowning in fear. Fear that Steph wouldn't make it. Fear that she would never know how much I loved her. I have faced down drug cartels and not even blinked an eye, but losing Steph terrified me more than anything I had ever faced. I realized I had been quiet too long, and Tank was looking worried.

"Honestly, man, I don't know. It's taking all I have not to go find Morelli and finish what I started. The only reason I haven't done it is because I want to be here when Steph gets out of surgery."

"Man, you have to forget about Morelli for the time being. You need to focus on Bomber. She's going to need you to get through this. You know when she wakes up and realizes they shaved her head, she's going to try and kill someone, right?" he said with a laugh.

I smiled at him. He was right. Steph was going to be extremely unhappy when she found out about her hair.

It finally registered with me that I was holding a small bag the nurse had said were Steph's personal belongings. I opened the bag and dumped it into my hand. It was just her earrings, a ring, and the necklace she had bought for herself at the beach. I couldn't believe that was barely two days ago. It felt like a lifetime.

I was running my fingers over the engraving of her name on the dog tags, and realized something was engraved on the back. I thought back to when I first noticed the necklace. She had jumped when I touched it, and didn't let me turn it around. Evidently she didn't want me to know what was on the back for some reason. I flipped it over and felt my heart stutter. The word 'Babe' had been engraved on the back. I wasn't sure exactly what it meant, but I decided to take it as a sign that maybe she wanted our someday, too.

I'm not sure how long I waited there, or what happened while I waited. I know that I had started pacing at one point, but when I noticed some of my men looking at me like I'd grown a second head, I sat down and tried to relax. Nothing was really working until I decided to start planning my future with Steph. This finally got me away from my worrying enough that I was surprised when Tank tapped my shoulder and pointed at the doctor coming through the doors. I was on my feet and heading towards him before he got three feet into the room.

"Mr. Manoso. Mr. Plum." I turned and realized Frank was behind me. Good job being aware of my surroundings.

"Ms. Plum is out of surgery, and it seems to have been a success. I'm not saying she's out of the woods yet. There are complications that could still occur, but right now, she's doing well."

I released the breath I hadn't even known I was holding. She made it through the surgery, now she just needs to wake up.

"She will be moved to the ICU after she gets out of recovery. We will be monitoring her for infection, seizures, and brain swelling. There is a risk of stroke, but I think it is minimal in Ms. Plum's case. I believe we should be able to tell you more in the next twenty-four hours, after the pressure decreases. My hope is that she will be coming out of the coma sometime in that timeframe. She should be in the ICU within the hour. I would like to limit the amount of visitors to family, and you, of course. Here is my card. Call me if you have any questions. I'm going to get some sleep, but my hotel is across the street. The staff knows to keep me updated on Ms. Plum's condition. Do you have any questions?" he asked as he handed me his business card.

"Not right now. Do you Frank?" He shook his head.

"There will be two guards stationed outside her door. I realize you may not be used to this, but working in our field, we can't take any chances. We have an understanding with the hospital, but I just wanted to let you know. Also, I will be staying with Stephanie indefinitely."

"That's fine. If you need me, you know where to find me," he said before walking away.

I turned to everyone in the waiting room and smiled at all the people who were worried about my Babe. I told them what the doctor said. I felt like a weight had been lifted. I knew she wasn't out of the woods, but the doctor seemed hopeful, and that was enough for now.

I had a few things I needed to take care of before Stephanie made it into the ICU. I needed to make a few calls to my other offices to make it clear I'm unreachable. I needed to have Ella send some things so I could stay here, and I wanted my laptop. While I'm waiting on Steph to wake up, I'm going to think about some ways to restructure RangeMan so I have less responsibility. That should keep me busy until my Babe wakes up and I can focus completely on her. After I got off the phone with Ella, I noticed Tank headed my way.

"I assume you'll be staying here until Steph is better?" I stared at him, letting him know what a stupid question that was. He just smiled at me and chuckled. "Okay, right, stupid question.

"I spoke to Eddie. Morelli is being charged with attempted rape, attempted murder and a bunch of lesser charges. He has also been relieved of his badge and gun indefinitely. He has a broken jaw, four broken ribs, a bruised kidney, and a punctured lung, along with other assorted bruises, fractures, and cuts, so he will be in the hospital a few days, under guard, then he will be taken to the TPD and arraigned. I've spoken to Vinnie and told him if he ever wants us to bring another FTA in, he will NOT be bailing Morelli out. He wisely agreed. I'll speak to Les Sebring, too, but we really have no leverage there. I'm going to clear out the waiting room and send everyone home. Obviously no one will be able to see Bomber tonight, so I'll let everyone know that I'll contact them when they can see her. Hector left to pick up your laptop and the other things you requested. Bobby and Lester are taking first watch, because they each would like to see her. I'm going to head to RangeMan and get things in order. Did you call the other offices and let them know you were offline?"

I nodded my head. "I just got off the phone with them. I wanted to run something by you. I was thinking about restructuring RangeMan and giving you, Lester, and Bobby more responsibility; of course with a bigger paycheck as well. I'll be doing the same at the other offices. Are you interested?"

"Holy shit, you've finally gotten your head out of your ass about Bomber and are going to do something about it! It's about fucking time, man. The past few years have been painful to watch," he told me, shaking his head. His rambling made me realize why Steph enjoys rolling her eyes so often. Ignoring my annoyance, he went on. "I know I'm game. Lula and I have been seeing each other again, and I'd like to buy a bigger place for us to live."

"Are you serious? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Honestly, I didn't want to jinx it. When we broke up over the cats, it was really hard. We both wanted to be sure we were serious and on the same page. I found good homes for a few of the cats, but kept two. She started getting allergy shots. I guess we compromised."

"That's great, man. I'm happy for the two of you."

He smiled at me. "Yeah, well, I guess we both got our heads out of our asses too. Now you just need to get Bomber well. You think she's still going to want to train after all this?"

"I don't know. I just want her healthy, then we'll go from there. Right now she just needs to wake up. I'm going to take it one step at a time," I told him.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm going to grab Lula and head back to the office. Call if you need anything or if Bomber wakes up. I'll make all the calls to friends and family for you."

"Thanks. I need to talk to Frank. I'm not sure what's going on there. I'll let you know where you can reach him, I guess."

"Yeah, Steph's mom is something. I can't believe she went in with Morelli after what he did to Bomber. That's just wrong on so many levels. Talk to you later, man." He clapped my shoulder and was gone.

The nurse came out and told me that Steph was being moved to her room, and gave me the room number. I went to tell Frank what room she would be in.

"I'll come up and see her before I take Edna and Helen home," he told me.

"I'll call you as soon as she wakes. Do you just want me to call your home?"

"Yeah, I'll be there for now." He sighed. For the first time, I noticed the sadness in his eyes. He'd had a one hell of a day, and it was finally taking its toll. "I'm going to wait until Steph is doing better before I make any moves. I was serious about leaving Helen, but I don't want Steph to feel responsible. This has been a long time coming, but I know my pumpkin. If I do anything now, she'll feel guilty, and that's the last thing I want."

I shook my head, understanding exactly what he meant. Steph takes responsibility for everything bad that happens around her. It isn't really surprising, though. Her mother has spent most of her life blaming her for everything, and the cop has spent the past three years doing the same thing.

We got to the room just as they were moving her onto the bed. I sat down and held her hand, and Frank walked to the other side of the bed. He held her hand in silence for a while, before he turned towards me.

"Call me when she wakes. It doesn't matter what time."

I nodded my head and watched him leave.

After he left, I sat beside Steph and just talked to her. I told her about my family, about why I joined the Army. I just talked about anything I could think of. Hector had dropped off the things I requested, so after a few hours of rambling, I sat down and opened my laptop.

I started started coming up with a plan that would make it easier to have a relationship with Steph. My life still wouldn't really lend itself to relationships, but if I'm honest, neither does hers. If anyone could understand that, it would be my Babe. I worked until I felt my eyes get heavy, and finally let myself drift to sleep, holding Steph's hand.

I wasn't sure what woke me at first, but then I felt Steph squeeze my hand. I stood up and looked at her, and realized she was trying to open her eyes. Relief rushed through me.

"Come on, Babe, I need to see those beautiful blue eyes again. Open them up for me."

**TBC...**

**Once again, thanks to Connie and Jenny for helping make the crazy thoughts in my head an actual story. ;o)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

_After he left, I sat beside Steph and just talked to her. I told her about my family, about why I joined the Army. I just talked about anything I could think of. Hector had dropped off the things I requested, so after a few hours of rambling, I sat down and opened my laptop._

_I started started coming up with a plan that would make it easier to have a relationship with Steph. My life still wouldn't really lend itself to relationships, but if I'm honest, neither does hers. If anyone could understand that, it would be my Babe. I worked until I felt my eyes get heavy, and finally let myself drift to sleep, holding Steph's hand. _

_I wasn't sure what woke me at first, but then I felt Steph squeeze my hand. I stood up and looked at her, and realized she was trying to open her eyes. Relief rushed through me. _

"_Come on, Babe, I need to see those beautiful blue eyes again. Open them up for me."_

**CHAPTER 10**

**SPOV**

As I started to become aware, the first thing I noticed was that tingle up my spine that always means Ranger was near. I could hear him talking, but it seemed so far away. I felt him squeeze my hand.

"Come on, Babe, I need to see those beautiful blue eyes again. Open them up for me."

The worry in his voice made me want to comfort him, but first I had to open my eyes to see him. The closer his voice came, the more I heard. When I started to hear the beep beep beep that I know goes along with a heart monitor, I realized I was in the hospital once again. Crap. I hate hospitals.

"Please, Babe, I need you to come back to me. I want our someday, but it can't start until you open your eyes."

WHAT? What did he just say? Did he say he wanted our someday? I must be on some really good shit. I had to have imagined that. Ranger doesn't do relationships. Okay, I needed my damn eyes to open up. Maybe I was hallucinating, but on the off chance I wasn't, I needed to tell Ranger I wanted someday, too, before he had a chance to change his mind.

I ignored the pain in my head and the fogginess, and focused on Ranger's hand and voice. Slowly, my eyes opened, but I closed them when the bright lights above me sent sharp pains through my head. After taking a deep breath, I slowly tried to pry my eyes open again. This time, I kept them open, and the first thing I saw was Ranger's beautiful face smiling down at me. Hmmm, maybe I wasn't hallucinating.

"Yo!" I croaked out. Or tried to. Boy, was my throat dry.

"Yo yourself!" he replied, flashing me one of his 1000-watt smiles.

He held a glass of water with a straw for me to drink out of. That helped a little. Enough that I could ask some questions, anyway.

"What happened? Why am I in the hospital?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, his smile completely disappeared, but before he had a chance to answer me, the door opened and a doctor came in.

"Well, Ms. Plum, it's good to see you awake! My name is Dr. Bernard Genarro. How are you feeling?" he asked.

"My head hurts. A lot! When can I go home?"

He smiled and began to perform different tests on me while he talked. "I was warned you would want to leave as soon as you woke up, but unfortunately, you will probably be here at least a week, if not more."

"A week? I can't stay here a week! I need to work. I have bills to pay. I'm supposed to start my training. A week is way too long for me to be in the hospital."

I knew I sounded a tad hysterical, but there was no way I'm staying in the hospital for a freakin week. He'd obviously been smoking something if he thinks I would.

"Ms. Plum, the surgery we performed on your brain was very invasive. We have to monitor you closely for infection, stroke, and many other problems that could arise as a complication of your surgery."

"Brain surgery? What?" My hand reached up and touched my head, only to realize it was covered in gauze. What the hell?

"What's the last thing you remember, Ms. Plum?"

"Call me Steph, or Stephanie, please."

I thought back to the last thing I could remember. Chasing my skips with Lester, stopping at my parents' and having it out with my mother, and then going home and finding Joe... It all crashed down on me.

"Oh, God. I really turned him into his father!"

It's all I could think. Over and over. Tears started pouring down my face, and suddenly, Ranger was beside me, gripping my hand.

"Babe, this is not your fault. Morelli is the only person responsible for his actions."

His face looked so sad and sincere. I just nodded my head. I didn't agree with him, but my head hurt too badly to put up an argument.

"So what's the damage, doc?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

I remembered what Joe had started to do before I passed out, and I needed to know how far he had gotten.

"Most of the trauma was to your head. You have a few bumps and scrapes on your arms and legs, but all the serious injuries are to your head. I'm going to schedule some tests, and we should know more then. I'll be back later today to review the results." He smiled, then left the room.

I was relieved, but confused. Ranger must have sensed what I was thinking, because as usual, he answered my question without me having to ask it.

"I got there before he got that far, Babe."

I exhaled in relief. Then it dawned on me what Ranger had walked in on, and what he might have done for me. I was mortified. I was ashamed and terrified that Ranger might have gotten into trouble for saving me. I felt the tears start to build up, but before they started to fall, Ranger sat down on the bed and started rubbing circles on the back of my hand.

"No, he's not dead. Tank and Bobby stopped me before I could finish him off. It's still a completely viable option, though. Currently he's a few floors down with some broken bones and a punctured lung. I'm not in any trouble, so don't worry about me. You just focus on getting better," he said before he leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"I'm going to run out and call your father. I promised I'd call as soon as you woke up."

He was leaving. I started to panic. I didn't want him to leave. I felt better when he was here, and I still hadn't had time to figure out whether I had heard him correctly or if it was all in my head. Most of all, I didn't want to see my mother. I wasn't up for whatever argument this incident was going to cause.

"Babe, I'm just going outside. I'm not leaving this hospital until you do. Lester and Bobby are outside, and they've been waiting to see you. They'll stay in here until I get back. I doubt your mother will be coming with your father when he comes, so don't worry about having it out with her again. If he brings your Grandmother with him, though, I will have to give the men hazard pay," he told me with a smile.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Babe." He leaned down and lightly kissed my lips.

After he walked out the door, the nurse came in and started doing something to my IVs. I was kind of zoning out until I heard her drop the bedpan that was on the table beside me. I followed her gaze and saw Lester and Bobby grinning at me from ear to ear. I gave her a smile as she left, letting her know I understood the effect the Merry Men had on women.

"Beautiful, it's about time you woke up. I told Ranger that maybe you were just playing at being Sleeping Beauty and you were waiting for your prince to kiss you and wake you up. I volunteered my services but he wasn't having it," Lester told me.

"You are such a goofball, Les," I smiled.

"How are you feeling, Bomber?" Bobby asked.

I involuntarily reached up to touch my head and felt the gauze. It finally hit me that if I had to have surgery on my brain, they would have had to cut my hair. I guess the look on my face had Bobby worried.

"Are you in pain? Do you want me to get the doctor?"

"MY HAIR! Did they cut my hair off?" Bobby and Lester exchanged worried looks. "Answer me! Did they cut off my hair?" I demanded.

"Well, Bomber, they had to be able to do the surgery, so um, yeah, they had to shave your head," Bobby told me.

It took a second to register that he'd said SHAVE my head.

"WHAT! They shaved my head? Are you saying I'm bald?"

I burst into tears. Ranger will never be able to look at me. Just as that thought came to mind, Ranger came into the room. He looked around the room, taking in me sobbing uncontrollably and the look of guilt on Bobby and Lester's faces. I wasn't sure why they were feeling guilty, but I figure it something to do with the fact that I started crying on their watch, and Ranger might possibly be shipping them off to a third world country now.

"What the hell did you two do?" Ranger asked in a rather menacing tone.

Bobby and Lester just stared at him in shock, then looked back at me.

"They shaved my head. I don't have hair anymore. You love my hair. Now I'm ugly, and you won't want to look at me," I told him in between sobs.

I finally got myself under control, which was a good thing since the crying was causing my head to throb. When I looked back up at him, he had relaxed, and it looked like he was thinking about smiling. He nodded at Bobby and Lester to leave. Bobby came and gave me a kiss on the cheek before he left. Lester, being Lester, came over and smacked a wet one right on my lips.

"Beautiful, even bald, you're the hottest woman I know. If Ranger doesn't like your new look, I'll be happy to show you how a real man treats a woman."

"SANTOS!" Ranger barked.

"Out! NOW!" Ranger pointed at the door.

Lester gave me a smile and a wink before he headed out the door behind Bobby. Ranger came over and climbed on the bed, careful not to catch on any of the numerous tubes running into my body, and wrapped his arms around me.

"Babe, I'll always think you're beautiful. Yes, I love your curls, but not as much as I love you. Your curls will grow back. As long as you're going to be okay, I'm happy. You can gain a hundred pounds and go bald, and I will still think you're beautiful and love you."

I looked up at him, waiting for him to add the conditions, but he didn't. I wanted to talk about this more, but I could feel the pain medicines kicking in, and I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open.

"Go to sleep, Babe. I'll be here when you wake up," he assured me, so I drifted to sleep, feeling safe, content, and loved.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie for your wonderful ideas and Jenny for your amazingly quick ability to edit. LOL**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Joe fan then you will not in any way enjoy this even a little. Joe is a very bad in my story. It is a total Babe story. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

"_Beautiful, even bald you the hottest woman I know. If Ranger doesn't like your new look, I'll be happy to show you how a real man treats a woman." _

"_SANTOS!" Ranger barked_

"_Out! NOW!" Ranger pointed at the door._

_Lester gave me a smile and a wink before he headed out the door behind Bobby. Ranger came over and climbed on the bed, careful not to catch any of the numerous tubes running into my body, and wrapped his arms around me. _

"_Babe, I always think you're beautiful. Yes I love your curls, but not as much as I love you. Your curls will grow back. As long as you're going to be ok I'm happy. You can gain a 100lbs and go bald and I will still think your beautiful and love you." I looked up at him waiting for him to add the conditions, but he didn't. I wanted to talk about this more, but I could feel the pain medicines kicking in and I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open. _

_"Go to sleep babe. I'll be here when you wake up." He assured me, so I drifted to sleep feeling safe, content, and loved. _

**CHAPTER 11**

**SPOV**

The next week went by at a snail's pace. Ranger assured me that part of my benefits package at RangeMan was short term disability, and since he had never taken my name off the payroll after the break-ins, I didn't have to worry about my bills. He even had the guys watch Rex in the communications room. He said the guys were talking about making him their mascot, which made me giggle.

All the tests I'd taken said I was recovering nicely. By day seven, I was ready to snap. Ranger had kept his word and stayed with me the entire time, until last night. I had forced him to go sleep at RangeMan. I was cranky and annoyed, and I didn't want to take it out on him. Plus, I needed some time to process all that had happened.

I was still feeling guilty about Joe. Logically, I knew he was responsible for his own actions, but part of me felt like I pushed him to it. Something weird was going on with my parents, too. My Dad had been to see me, but my mother hadn't. I guess she still hadn't forgiven me for not going back to Joe.

I had told Ranger I would call him when the doctor came to talk to me. I didn't want him here for the conversation, in case I had to sign myself out. If Ranger were here, he'd never let me get away with it. For most of the week, the guys Ranger had guarding me had all been friends. Today, there were two guys I didn't recognize, but it didn't really matter, because I was busting out of this joint today.

"I'm going home today! I don't care if I have to sign myself out. I am not staying here another day," I told the doctor as soon as he walked in.

He smiled at me. "You'll be happy to know I agree. I would like to perform one more test, and as long as the results are the same as before, you should be out of here by late afternoon or early evening. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes. Thank GOD! I can't take another day here."

He just smiled and shook his head. "They should be up here in about an hour to take you for your CAT scan, and as soon as I get the results, I'll let you know."

"Thanks. I appreciate everything you've done."

"Just doing my job. I'll have a list of instructions made up for you in anticipation of your discharge. You shouldn't be alone for at least another two weeks. Brain injuries are tricky. You should have someone close by, just in case."

I nodded my head and he walked out the door. Finally, I was getting out of here. I picked up the phone and called Ranger.

"Yo!"

"Yo back," I said.

"Hey, Babe, I'm on my way over now. Has the doctor been to see you yet?"

"Yep, he wants me to have one more test, but as long as it comes back okay, I can finally blow this popsicle stand."

"That's great! I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Then there was silence. The man still hadn't learned to say goodbye, but that was the least of my worries. I was more than a little confused about what was going on with Ranger. He had pretty much ignored his business all week to stay with me. He had been sweet and talkative. He had told me about his family and what he was like as a kid. I really didn't know what to think.

I had never questioned him about the things he said when I first woke up. I didn't want to ruin how great things were between us by saying something stupid, and I was a little scared that once I got out of the hospital, things would go back to the way they were.

I was brought out of my musings by the shrill sound of my mother's voice.

"She is my daughter and I will be going into see her!" she told the Merry Men at the door.

"Y-Yes, ma'am," was the only reply she got.

I felt my whole body tense up. It hurt that she hadn't been to visit, but I didn't want to face her alone, and Ranger wouldn't be here for at least another fifteen minutes. Crap. I took a deep breath as she pushed her way into my room.

"Well, Stephanie Michelle Plum, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"About what, Mom?"

"About what? About ruining poor Joseph's life. About ruining my life. You are the most selfish child I have ever seen. Having you was the biggest mistake of my life. I should have stopped with Valerie," she told me.

I didn't reply, because really, what was there to say after that, but she continued on. It seemed that she was building up steam, and I could feel the tears threatening to stream down my face.

"You should be ashamed of what you have put the Morelli family through. Joseph is being charged with attempted murder because of you. That thug that beat him up should be the one going to jail. You have ruined our family's reputation by working the job you work and spending time with thugs and prostitutes. You should have married Joseph and settled down by now, but no, you had to run around making a fool of yourself and our family, chasing criminals. It's no wonder Joseph snapped and hit you. Not only have you ruined Joseph Morelli's life, but mine, too. Thanks to you, your father says he's going to divorce me. I will be the laughingstock of the 'Burg, and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!" she screamed at me.

"What are you talking about? Daddy is leaving you?" I asked, trying to understand why she hated me so much.

"That's what he says. He wouldn't even let me come to the hospital this week, saying that I didn't have any right to be here. I didn't have a right to see my own selfish daughter. I had to sneak out of my own home when he got called in for a shift at the cab company. Do you know how humiliated I am?"

That answered one of my questions. At least now I knew why she hadn't been to see me. I wanted to get angry and yell back at her, but I couldn't. I couldn't find the anger, because everything she said just broke my heart more. I guess I could understand her blaming me if Dad wanted to leave her over what had happened to me, but I just couldn't comprehend her blaming me for what had happened to Joe. She blamed me for ruining Joe's life because he tried to kill me. How warped was that logic? I would not give her the pleasure of seeing me break, though.

"Well, you've told me what you wanted to say. I promised I wouldn't come back to the house, and I intend to keep that promise. It will be like I was never born. As of right now, you only have one child, which is what you wanted. I would appreciate it if you left now, Helen."

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere…."

The door to my hospital room slammed open, revealing my very angry father and an even angrier Ranger right behind him. My father headed straight towards my mother, and Ranger came over to me.

"Enough, Helen! I told you, you are not welcome here! GET OUT!" his voice boomed. My mother visibly paled when she saw the anger obviously radiating from my father.

"Frank, I have every right…"

"You have no right." His voice was suddenly low and menacing. "You will leave this hospital and not show your face here again. I kept you away from Steph because she deserves a better mother than you. You worry so much about what the "Burg" thinks, Helen? What is the 'Burg going to think when they hear what you've said to your daughter this time? The only person in our family that should be ashamed is you. Now get out before I throw you out."

By this time, my mother looked terrified. If my dad ever spoke to me like that, I'd probably have pee'd myself. If I wasn't so hurt by what she said, I might actually find this funny. Fortunately, she didn't say anything else, she just turned and headed out the door.

As soon as the door shut, I dissolved into tears. I couldn't hold it in anymore. Ranger, who was already by my side, wrapped me in his arms and whispered to me in Spanish. After I had calmed down, my dad came and hugged me.

"I'm so sorry she said those things to you, Pumpkin. I couldn't be more proud of the woman you have become. I don't know what your mother's problem is, but it is _her_ problem, not yours."

He leaned over and kissed my forehead before turning towards Ranger. "Can you take her somewhere away from all of this? Somewhere she can recover in peace."

"Yes, sir. I have a few ideas," he told my dad.

Huh? He did? He hadn't said anything to me yet.

"Good. Let me know when you decide to go so Edna and I can stop and see her." Ranger just nodded. "I love you, Pumpkin," he told me before he left the room.

I really didn't know what to say, and really didn't want to talk about it. As usual, Ranger understood. He just held me in silence until they came to take me for my test.

**RPOV**

I climbed into my Turbo, anxious to get back to the hospital. Steph had forced me to go home for the night, saying she felt guilty about the amount of time I was spending with her when I needed to be working. I tried to make her understand that RangeMan was fine, but she wouldn't hear it. I finally agreed, because I could tell she was tired and frustrated, and I didn't want to add to her stress. I also knew she probably wanted some time alone to process everything that had happened to her, but I missed her.

On my way back to the hospital, Steph called to tell me what the doctor had told her. After we hung up, I called her father to tell him she was probably going to be released today. I had given him a cell phone earlier in the week so he could contact Steph or me without his wife eavesdropping. He had forbidden Helen from visiting Stephanie, because we both agreed she didn't need the extra stress. He said he was on his way to see her anyway and would see me there.

Even though Steph had made me leave last night, I didn't really get any work done. I spent a lot of last night and today thinking about what I could do to make her recovery easier. She wouldn't be able to travel for a while, but once she was cleared, maybe we could take a trip. After everything that had happened in the past week, I thought she might need a break. I could run RangeMan from any of the offices. Maybe we could go to Miami while she recovered. Or if she didn't want to go that far from her friends and family, maybe Boston was a viable option.

I ran these scenarios through my mind while I was taking the elevator up to Steph's floor. As soon as the doors opened, I knew something was wrong. I had two of my new guys on duty, because all of my other men were busy. I also thought it would be a way to ease them into what is affectionately known around the office as "Bombshell Duty," without putting my Babe at risk. The look on both their faces told me they'd screwed up. About that time, I heard the shrill voice of Helen Plum. I noticed Frank was headed towards the room just ahead of me, and from what I could see, he was pissed. I was just as pissed, because I had informed my men that Mrs. Plum was not to be allowed into see Stephanie. As Frank slammed into the room, I gave my men a look, letting them know I would deal with them later.

I let Frank deal with his wife, and I headed straight towards Steph. The tears were already streaming down her face, and it was all I could do not to rip Helen Plum apart with my bare hands. As soon as Frank had gotten Mrs. Plum out the door, Steph burst into tears. My heart broke for her, and I held her closely as she cried. I noticed that she seemed to calm down when I spoke Spanish, so I began telling her how I felt about her. I said things I had never had the nerve to say in English, and she began to relax.

I looked up at Frank and saw him smiling broadly at me. I knew by the look on his face, he had understood everything I'd said to her. I should have known it was a possibility, because most Ranger's had training in several different languages. It was a waste of time getting embarrassed, and since I'd honestly meant every word I said, I just smiled back at him. He leaned down and focused on Steph, trying to make her understand that her mother was wrong and that she was an amazing woman. What he said next surprised me.

"Can you take her somewhere away from all of this? Somewhere she can recover in peace."

It seemed as though Frank and I were on the same page. "Yes, sir. I have a few ideas," I told him.

I noticed that Steph seemed a little put out that she hadn't been consulted. I would have to remedy that as soon as she felt up to it.

"Good. Let me know when you decide to go, so Edna and I can stop and see her." I just nodded.

After he left, I wrapped my arms around my Babe and held her, trying to comfort her as much as I could. Because I knew she didn't want to talk about it right now, I just held her tight and let her process everything at her own pace. Eventually, they came to take her to get her CAT scan.

As soon as she was gone, I went outside to speak to the newbies. I hadn't decided if I should fire them, or just make their lives hell. The were both fresh out of the military, but if they couldn't handle the simple assignment of keeping a bitchy sixty-some-year-old lady out of a room, I'm not sure they could be trusted for anything more serious. When I walked out of the room, I ran into Lester, Bobby, and Tank.

"Hey, Boss, we just got off shift and stopped by to get our daily Bombshell fix," Tank told me.

"She just went down for her CAT scan. If it looks okay, they are letting her go."

The newbies were fidgeting beside me, and Tank, Lester, and Bobby all noticed.

"Do you guys have to piss or something? 'Cause the last time I saw someone fidget like that, I was in second grade. The teacher wouldn't let Tommy Moore go to the bathroom, and he ended up pissing himself," Lester asked, knowing something was up.

I slowly turned to face them.

"What were my orders?" I barked at them. They both stood at attention.

"Sir, to keep Bombshell safe, sir," Shorty replied.

Before I could take him to task for calling Steph anything but Ms. Plum, Tank stepped in standing nose to nose with Shorty.

"What did you call her? You haven't earned the right to call her Bomber, Bombshell, or anything else! You will refer to her as Ms. Plum or Ma'am. Do you understand?" Tank asked.

Sometimes it was fun to mess with the new guys. I realize that as their boss, I shouldn't indulge in such childish tactics, but it was still fun.

"Sir, yes, sir," they both replied in unison.

I really didn't have time for this, and I didn't want my Babe to see us picking on them, in case I _did_ decide to fire them.

"You were given specific instructions. I gave you a list of people that were permitted to see Ms. Plum, and a specific list of who was not allowed in the room. Her mother was on the list banning her from this room, but for some reason, she was in there when I arrived."

I noticed Lester, Bobby, and Tank all stiffen at this news. The newbies noticed, too, and realized they were in more than just a little trouble.

"Would you care to explain how a sixty-year-old housewife managed to get past two highly-trained US Marines?" I demanded.

"Sir, we weren't sure how to stop her," Smoke replied awkardly.

I just stared at him like he was an idiot because he obviously was. I honestly didn't even know how to reply. I felt Bobby tap my shoulder, and looked to the elevators where they were wheeling Stephanie back to her room.

"You are both suspended without pay until further notice," I told them before Steph was in hearing range. "Dismissed."

They both headed towards the elevators. I turned and looked at Tank.

"We'll take care of them, Boss."

I nodded my agreement just as Steph got to the door.

"Hey, Bomber, Ella had us bring you a bag of goodies and some clean clothes," Bobby said.

"Beautiful! I heard a rumor you might be breaking out. Is it true?" Lester asked.

"Yep, as long as this test comes back okay, I'll be out of here today," she smiled.

I noticed the smile didn't reach her eyes, but after what had happened with her mother today, I wasn't surprised. Yeah, I'm firing those two idiots. I looked up at Tank, and he nodded in agreement.

Now I just needed to talk to her about where she wanted to go to recover. I had spoken to her doctor yesterday, and he said that she shouldn't travel for a few more weeks, so that only gave me two options. We could stay on seven, or I could take her to Point Pleasant. I had a house there, but I rarely used it. I bought it shortly before I met Steph, but after I met her, I wanted to be close by in case she needed me.

I laughed to myself. I have been in love with this woman for years, and it's taken me until now to admit it. I really am a fool. I watched my three best friends fuss over the woman I loved, and felt a sort of peace that I never thought I'd find.

**TPOV**

As soon as I saw Bombshell's smile, or rather attempt at a smile, I knew the two newbies were going to be fired. One look at Ranger confirmed my suspicions. Honestly, I was okay with that. They knew how important Bombshell duty was, and if they couldn't keep her safe from her mother, they really weren't cut out for our type of work. We all headed back into the hospital room behind Stephanie.

Bobby and Lester were telling Steph about the latest Vinnie gossip as they helped her back into her bed. After a few minutes, I turned around and looked at my boss and friend. What I saw actually startled me. Ranger looked happy and content. It wasn't necessarily the emotions that surprised me, although they were surprising, too, as much as it was the fact that he was showing them to everyone. The blank face he had spent years perfecting was nowhere to be found.

This made what I was going to have to tell him even harder. I looked back at Steph and saw she was listening to Lester tell some ridiculous story about his latest date. When I looked back at Ranger, he noticed me looking at him, and we both walked outside the room.

"I want those two idiots fired!" he told me.

"I agree! How bad was her mother?"

"I didn't hear all of it, but what I did hear was really bad. She cried for almost an hour after."

If I hadn't already agreed the two newbies should be fired, I would have agreed after hearing this. Protecting Bomber meant you protected her emotionally, physically, and mentally, and they had failed miserably. The fact that Bomber cried in front of Ranger was even more telling than actually hearing the words her mother said.

Steph always wanted to be strong in front of Ranger and the rest of us. She knew it was hard for us to see her cry, but more than anything, she never wanted anyone to see her as weak. The fact that the two men I had scheduled to keep her safe had failed made me angrier than I could express. Unfortunately, I needed to deal with the most pressing problem first... telling Ranger that Morelli was out on bail.

"Morelli made bail today. We have someone following him, and practically everyone has volunteered to work off the clock, keeping track of him to make sure he stays away from Bomber. His preliminary hearing is in just over three weeks."

I watched closely as his blank face slammed into place. Morelli had been released from the hospital a few days ago, but it had taken three days to arrange his bail. It seemed no bail agent in the area was willing to risk pissing off Ranger. Although we worked primarily for Vinnie, we have been contracted out to pretty much every bail agent in the area for their biggest skips, and evidently a cop wanted for the attempted murder of Ranger's woman wasn't worth the risk of ruining that relationship.

"A startup agency out of Newark agreed to post his bail. As soon as I found out, I volunteered our services if he skipped, and they readily agreed. At least this way, if he skips, we will be the ones looking for him. There isn't one man on our payroll that won't know how important it is, especially after I fire those two fuckups," I told him.

"I knew he would make bail, but it still pisses me off to no end. Part of me wants to hunt him down now and put a bullet between his eyes. You should have let me kill him when I had the chance."

"Rangeman, you know it would kill Bomber if you went to jail. She needs you now more than ever. I would love to kill him myself, but it won't change anything. We need to focus on Bomber and her recovery. Where are you going to take her if they let her leave today?"

"I need to talk to her about that. At least for today, we'll just go back to seven. We can decide from there. Let's get back inside before Lester says or does something I might have to kill him for."

I laughed at this, knowing that he was only partially kidding. He might not kill Lester, but shipping him to Zimbabwe wasn't out of the question. Lester is the only person that has the balls to push Ranger's buttons on a daily basis. I guess he figures he's safe since they're cousins. Sometimes I think he's an idiot. I don't think family ties would save him when it came to Bomber. Shaking my head at the thought, I followed Ranger back into the room.

"Just what were you two girls out there gossiping about?" Lester asked.

Stephanie giggled, and Ranger just glared. Yep, Lester is an idiot.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie & Jenny for all your help. :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

"_Rangeman, you know it would kill Bomber if you went to jail. She needs you now more than ever. I would love to kill him myself, but it won't change anything. We need to focus on Bomber and her recovery. Where are you going to take her if they let her leave today?"  
_

"_I need to talk to her about that. At least for today, we'll just go back to seven. We can decide from there. Let's get back inside before Lester says or does something I might have to kill him for."_

_I laughed at this, knowing that he was only partially kidding. He might not kill Lester, but shipping him to Zimbabwe wasn't out of the question. Lester is the only person that has the balls to push Ranger's buttons on a daily basis. I guess he figures he's safe since they're cousins. Sometimes I think he's an idiot. I don't think family ties would save him when it came to Bomber. Shaking my head at the thought, I followed Ranger back into the room. _

"_Just what were you two girls out there gossiping about?" Lester asked._

_Stephanie giggled, and Ranger just glared. Yep, Lester is an idiot._

**CHAPTER 12**

**SPOV **

Lester was telling me a story about his latest date. Evidently he was dating twins and ended up calling one of them the wrong name at a very inappropriate time. It was pretty funny, but seriously... had he never heard of TMI? I didn't need to know the position they were in when he committed his faux pas.

I was starting to wonder what was going on with Ranger and Tank, but before I could ask the guys what was up, they came back in my room.

"Just what were you two girls out there gossiping about?" Lester asked.

The way he said it made me think of my grandma when she was down at the Clip N Curl, and the thought of Tank and Ranger at the Clip N Curl gossiping with all the biddies made me giggle. The annoyed look on Ranger's face was pretty funny, too.

Today was the first day I hadn't had a horrible headache. It was more like a dull throb now. After my little sobbing incident, it had gotten worse, but by the time I was done with the CAT scan, it was back to a dull throb. This had left me in a pretty decent mood. Ranger was still glaring at Lester, who was just grinning back at him like a complete moron, so I decided to step in.

"Where's the bag Ella sent me? I would love to put on some real clothes. I talked to the nurse on my way back to my room, and she said that I could shower as long as someone was in there with me." As much as I wanted to ask Ranger, I was just too uncomfortable to actually do it. "Um, maybe one of you could ask a nurse to help me? I want to be ready to leave as soon as the doctor gives me the okay."

"Beautiful, I'll gladly help you shower and make sure you are squeaky clean," Lester told me with a wink.

"SANTOS! Don't even think about it, if you want to live. I don't care how upset Tia Marie gets, I have no problem dropping you off in the middle of the desert with no supplies," Ranger growled at Lester.

It still seemed strange that Lester and Ranger were related, but it did explain why Lester was always so comfortable poking the tiger. Ranger had told me a lot about his family this past week, and I was still adjusting to the info. Ranger came over to my bed and kissed my forehead.

"I'll help you, Babe, if that's okay," he smiled at me.

I kind of got lost in his smile for a few seconds, until I heard Tank clear his throat and Lester and Bobby trying to cover their laughs with coughs. Good grief, I may be recovering from brain surgery, but it was obvious that nothing could stop my Hungarian hormones when Ranger was around.

"That's okay with me. Are you sure you have time, or do you need to get back to work?"

I was really starting to feel guilty about the amount of work Ranger was missing. I don't think he could begin to understand how much it meant to me that he had put me first this week. No one had ever made me feel like I was that important before, but I knew it couldn't continue without his work suffering, and I didn't want to be the cause of that.

"I have plenty of time to help you. I'm here until the doctor releases you. The only reason I left yesterday was because you threw me out," he told me.

I could tell he was giving me a rough time, because the corners of his mouth were twitching. I just rolled my eyes at him.

"Fine, then let's get this show on the road. I want to get some real clothes on," I told him as I stood slowly up from my bed.

I was getting better, but I had learned that fast movements caused pain and dizziness, so I was being careful and moving slowly.

"Damn, Boss, I have never known a woman to be in such a hurry to have you dress them. Aren't you used to them being in a hurry for you to undress them? I bet this is a big blow to your ego!" Lester spoke up.

I felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought of another woman wanting Ranger to take her clothes off, but I pushed it aside and ignored it, focusing on Ranger's reaction. Lester and Bobby were both laughing their asses off at the look on Ranger's face, and Tank looked like he was using every ounce of his military training not to bust out laughing, too. Ranger, on the other hand, looked a tad bit murderous.

"Santos, Meet me in the gym tomorrow morning at 0500. You and Bobby can take over door duty."

Lester looked at Ranger and just laughed and shrugged his shoulders. I guess he wasn't afraid of going to a third world country. Tank followed them outside, then Ranger and I headed to the shower.

I had been carefully avoiding the mirror, because even with the gauze around my head, I was afraid to see what I looked like. Once we were in the bathroom, Ranger completely took over. He helped me shower and get dressed without it turning remotely sexual. Instead, it seemed tender and caring, and it made me feel all squishy inside.

The nurse had told me she would redress my head after the shower, and show whoever would be helping me how to do it. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going. Obviously my parents place was out. I finally decided that I needed to get some answers. Once I was dressed and back in my bed, I decided to ask Ranger.

"So, Ranger, I was wondering where I was going to stay when I left. Since I can't stay alone, maybe if you had an open apartment on four, I could stay there without getting in your way."

He looked up at me, and I swear he looked hurt, but I couldn't understand why.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I have a few ideas, but it's up to you. I spoke to your doctor yesterday, and he said you shouldn't travel for a few weeks. I thought we could either stay on seven, or I have a house in Point Pleasant. If you don't want me to stay with you, I can have Ella or Lula stay there with you."

Why would he think I didn't want him there? I was confused. I quickly reviewed what I had said and realized that maybe he thought because I had asked to stay on four that I didn't want him there.

"No, Ranger, of course I want you there. I feel like I'm taking advantage of you. You've already put your business on hold for the past week. I just don't want you to feel obligated to take care of me. I don't want to be in your way and become a burden," I tried to explain, hoping that he understood.

His eyes softened. "**Trouble is a part of life, and if you don't share it, you don't give the person who loves you a chance to love you enough**. Babe, when are you going to realize you aren't my obligation? You're my priority. Everything else is an obligation to me. You're the only thing that matters. Let me love you enough. "

I stared at him in shock. I couldn't wrap my mind around anyone feeling that way about me. That's when I remembered that he didn't do relationships, no matter how he felt about me. I felt the tears start to form. Damnit, this stupid brain surgery had me all sorts of emotional.

In a second, Ranger was in font of me. His hands cupping my face. "Stephanie, I've said a lot of things to you. Some I regret, and some were true at the time, but circumstances have changed. This isn't something we need to talk about right now. Once you've recovered and are feeling better, then we will need to have a long talk about things, but just know I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to."

I was rendered speechless. Before I could say anything else, the nurse walked in and asked if I was ready to have my bandages changed.

"Yeah, that's fine," I told her.

"Let me go get Bobby. He'll be monitoring you wherever we choose to stay, so I want him to be aware of what's going on. I need to be able to do it, too. Is that okay?" Ranger asked me.

I had forced Ranger to leave the room every time they had changed my bandages up until now. Having him see me bald was humiliating. I knew I had to agree, but I didn't have to be happy about it. I just nodded yes, and he went to get Bobby.

I carefully watched Bobby's and Ranger's reactions while she changed my bandages. I was sure they would be repulsed, but instead, they both seemed to get angry. I was confused, until I heard Ranger mutter to Bobby. "You should have let me kill that asshole when I had the chance."

I decided to just let it go, because if he was busy being pissed at Joe, he wouldn't notice how horrible I looked. As soon as the nurse was done, she turned her full attention to Ranger.

"If you'd like, I could give you more in depth instructions on taking care of your sister after I get off my shift tonight. I would be happy to show you a more hands on approach."

What? I look nothing like Ranger! Did she think I was adopted? How dare she hit on my man in front of me. Okay, so he's not MY man, but I didn't want to focus on technicalities. I wanted to kick her perky little ass.

Ranger was completely ignoring her while he packed the rest of my things in my bag. Bobby was looking at me, though, and quickly realized I was about to blow, because he started laughing. I'm not sure what he was finding humor in. When Ranger looked at Bobby to see why he was laughing, he noticed that I was very unhappy. Then Ranger did the one thing I had NEVER seen him do. He rolled his eyes. I mean an honest-to-God Jersey eye roll. I was so proud of him!

"Obviously she's not my sister. If you think she is, you're an idiot. It goes without saying, I'm not even remotely interested. I'll be leaving with Stephanie. Now, you should be on your way, because it seems you're upsetting her, and I don't like when anyone upsets my Babe."

The last sentence was a lot more menacing than the first few, and I watched all the color drain out of her face before she nodded and left as quickly as her little bird legs would carry her with Bobby following behind her still laughing.

_Stupid nurses with perfect shiny long hair. How can I stand a chance when I'm bald?_ I thought to myself.

"Babe, you look beautiful." He sat down and wrapped his arms around me. Oops, I must have said that outloud. "Hair or no hair, you are the most beautiful woman in the world."

He started kissing my neck and my ear, but about the time he headed for my mouth, I heard someone clear their throat. I opened my eyes to find the three stooges grinning like idiots behind my doctor.

"Well, Stephanie, it looks like you're going to get your wish. The tests show that you're healing nicely. I have a long list of care that you will need to be aware of, but it won't be difficult. Obviously you will need to take it easy for the next few weeks. There will be things to watch for on the information I give you, things that tell you that you need to come back to the hospital. I'll be headed back to Johns Hopkins, but I have briefed my colleague, Dr. Scott. He is more than qualified, and will be able to handle your basic checkups. If there are any complications, I'll fly back up here immediately. Do you have any questions before you leave?"

"No, I don't think so."

I looked at Ranger and he shook his head as he got off my bed and walked toward the doctor.

"Good. I'll get the paperwork ready, then you can get out of here."

I smiled at him. "Thanks, Doc!"

He smiled back. "I'd say anytime, but I hope if I ever do see you again, it will be under much happier circumstances." He shook Ranger's hand and left.

"Yippee! I'm outta here."

Ranger came back to my bed and sat down. He wrapped his arms around me again and smiled.

"Yeah, Babe. Have you decided where you want to go? I thought since it was late, we'd stay on seven tonight. Then we could go to Point Pleasant tomorrow, if you want. Morelli's preliminary hearing isn't for another three and a half weeks, so we could stay there until then if you want."

I needed to think about that, so I focused on the plan for tonight. "Will Ella make me cake tonight?"

"Ella will make you anything you ask for, Babe."

"Okay then, seven it is! Let me think about Point Pleasant, and I'll let you know later."

He gave me his half smile and nodded. "I'll call Ella now. Is there anything special you want to request?"

"Nope, tell her to surprise me!" I didn't care what I had to eat, really. I was just so glad I was getting out of here.

An hour later, I had been signed out and was being wheeled to the doors. Considering everything, I was pretty happy. That is, until I looked across the parking lot and saw Morelli standing there, watching us. Just the sight of him terrified me. I must have gasped, because Ranger looked up to see what I was looking at. By that time, there wasn't anything there. Maybe I was imagining things.

"Babe, what's wrong?" he looked so worried.

The look on his face made me even more determined to start training and making myself stronger. I never wanted this to happen again. I also didn't want Ranger to have to worry about me anymore. It wasn't fair to him, and even though I wasn't sure what was happening between us, I knew he had put his life on hold for me once again. The least I could do was learn to defend myself.

"Nothing. I just thought I saw something, and it surprised me. I must have been wrong. So, you ready to take me home?"

His eyes darkened and he gave me his wolf grin. "You have no idea, Babe!"

Ella's dinner was delicious as always, and she had made me Carmel Banana Tiramisu for dessert. Ella had been nice enough to send Ranger and me breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the hospital. Even though I couldn't eat my normal amounts, I was quickly becoming spoiled. I had also learned that I needed to control my moaning unless I wanted a very frustrated Ranger on my hands.

I ate my meal and thought back to what had happened this week. It was only ten days ago that I was at the beach, trying to figure out a way to get my life in order. I felt so happy and excited when I left Point Pleasant last week. In ten short days, my world had been turned upside down. My mother had turned her back on me completely, and a man I had thought loved me had tried to rape and kill me. I had probably lost my job at Vinnie's by now, since I hadn't been to work in a week and wouldn't be able to go back anytime soon.

The more I turned the events of the past week over in my head, the more upset I got. I knew I needed to face my problems. I wasn't going to run from them. I would not live in denial anymore. I wanted to face what was happening, and I couldn't do that if I ran and hid at Point Pleasant. Plus, it would take Ranger away from work again. Maybe we could just go to Point Pleasant during the weekends. I could recharge, and then hopefully by the time we got back, I'd be able to do a little work. I'm sure Rodriguez had searches for me to run. He seemed to have an endless supply. I felt better once I had started making some decisions, and I felt more in control of what was happening to me. Ranger had evidently been watching me for most of the meal, because before I had a chance to tell him what I was thinking, he spoke up.

"So what have you decided, Babe?" How does he _do_ that? "Babe, there's been smoke rolling out of your ears for the past fifteen minutes. I knew you were doing some heavy thinking. So what's the verdict?"

"I want to stay here on seven." I could tell he was about to argue, so I held my hand up. "Hear me out before you say anything. A little over a week ago, I went to the beach and decided to make some changes in my life. I know a lot has happened since then, but I haven't changed my mind. I don't want to hide from this. I know I have to recover, and I can't be out running around, but I want go on with my life. I feel like going to Point Pleasant until Morelli's hearing is like running away. It may not make sense, but it still feels that way. Plus, no matter what you say, I feel guilty keeping you away from work. This way you will be able to work and know that I'm okay, and I won't feel like I'm going to be the cause of your business collapsing. Maybe we could go to Point Pleasant on the weekends. I figure I'll want to recharge, and the beach does that for me."

"Babe, I have set this company up so that it could function without me when I was away on missions. Even if we went to Point Pleasant, I would be more available there than I was on a majority of those missions. I'm not going to force you, though. It's your choice. If you want to stay here and just go on the weekends, then that's what we'll do."

"Cool! I do have a question, though." I looked at him expectantly.

"You can ask me anything. As long as it isn't classified, I will tell you whatever you want to know."

Hmmm, talk about giving information to the enemy. Unfortunately, I was exhausted, and I wanted to finish this discussion and go to bed, so I wouldn't be taking advantage of this admission…yet. I would definitely be filing that information away for later, though.

"Good to know, but I was just wondering if your place at Point Pleasant was the Bat Cave."

He laughed and shook his head. "Babe, the closest thing I have to a bat cave is this apartment. I consider this apartment, for lack of a better word, home. I own a house at Point Pleasant, but I haven't really spent much time there. The same is true about my house in Miami. Until a few years ago, I never really wanted, or needed, a home. I bought properties and had places to stay at each of my offices, but nowhere actually felt like home." He got up from the table and cleared our plates.

"What changed a few years ago?" I asked him, while following him into the kitchen.

"I met you," he replied, matter of factly. He cleaned the dishes off and put them in the washer.

"Oh."

That was really all I could come up with. I know, just call me Webster; I'm a regular wordsmith. Ranger just smiled at me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me towards the bedroom.

"You look beat, Babe. Why don't we head to bed?"

I yawned in agreement. I went into his bathroom and changed into one of his T-shirts and my snoopy boxers. When I came out of the bathroom, he was in his bed, wearing nothing but his silk boxers, holding the covers up for me to slide into. I did my usual check for drool, and after finding myself in the clear, I slid under the sheets. A question had been nagging at me ever since he told me about the bat cave being this apartment.

"I have one last question. What did you mean when you said the bat cave was forever, if I had already been to the bat cave?"

He wrapped his arms around me when I curled my body into his, and leaned over and kissed my ear. "I said this apartment was the closest thing to the bat cave. I didn't say it _was_ the bat cave."

I rolled onto my back to look at him. "I don't understand."

He paused, like he was trying to decide what he wanted to say.

"I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but about two years ago, I got back from a mission right around three in the morning. It had been a bad one, and all I wanted to do was get home and relax. As soon as I got back to Trenton, I came up to seven, but I couldn't relax. I was still anxious for some reason. The next thing I knew, I was in the Turbo and headed for your apartment. I broke in and walked into your bedroom. As soon as I saw you sleeping, I finally felt like I was home. I sat in that chair in the corner and watched you sleep all night. _You_ are my bat cave. Whenever I'm with you, I am home. You're all I want. Always."

I wanted to say something as wonderful as what he had said to me, but I couldn't. I was at a complete loss for words. A tear rolled down my cheek, and I leaned up to kiss him. I tried to put all I was feeling into the kiss, because I definitely couldn't express myself any other way right now.

Eventually, the kiss ended, and we both just looked into each other's eyes. I never knew anything could be this intimate without it involving sex. Of course, the majority of my experience had been with Joe, and he didn't do anything intimate unless the reward was an orgasm for himself. After a few minutes, Ranger kissed my nose.

"Go to sleep, Babe."

"Okay," I mumbled, already half asleep. "Night, Ranger."

"Goodnight, Babe."

**WORDCOUNT 3,856**

**TBC...**

**Thanks to two of the best Beta's out there. Connie and Jenny your awesome dudettes. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada. **

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you. **

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

"_I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but about two years ago, I got back from a mission right around three in the morning. It had been a bad one, and all I wanted to do was get home and relax. As soon as I got back to Trenton, I came up to seven, but I couldn't relax. I was still anxious for some reason. The next thing I knew, I was in the Turbo and headed for your apartment. I broke in and walked into your bedroom. As soon as I saw you sleeping, I finally felt like I was home. I watched you sleep all night. You are my bat__cave. Whenever I'm with you, I am home. You're all I want. Always." _

_I wanted to say something as wonderful as what he had said to me, but I couldn't. I was at a complete loss for words. A tear rolled down my cheek, and I leaned up to kiss him. I tried to put all I was feeling into the kiss, because I definitely couldn't express myself any other way right now._

_Eventually, the kiss ended, and we both just looked into each other's eyes. I never knew anything could be this intimate without it involving sex. Of course, the majority of my experience had been with Joe, and he didn't do anything intimate unless the reward was an orgasm for himself. After a few minutes, Ranger kissed my nose. _

"_Go to sleep, Babe." _

"_Okay," I mumbled, already half asleep. "Night, Ranger." _

"_Goodnight, Babe_

**Chapter 13**

**SPOV **

The rest of the week was just as boring as the previous, but staying with Ranger made it worth it. I had a constant stream of visitors between my naps. Ranger had even let Grandma Mazur come visit. (Lester told me he had made sure the elevator wouldn't stop at any floor but the seventh once she was in it.) Mary Lou, Lula, and Connie had each brought me some scarves to wear on my head until my hair had grown out more. I thought I looked a little silly, but it was better than going around bald.

My Dad had been to visit two or three times, too. I tried to talk to him about my mother, but he would only tell me not to worry about anything except getting better. I was starting to get frustrated with him because he wouldn't tell me if he really was going to divorce her.

My constant headache was slowly going away, and little by little, I started feeling better. I still got tired easily, and I had some problems with dizziness, but it wasn't bad. The in care instructions said I needed to try and walk some each day, so of course, Ranger made sure I got in my daily workout. I didn't really mind, though. Since the weather was still nice, Ranger would take me to the park and walk with me. While we were walking, he would tell me stories about himself. We didn't talk about anything serious, but I felt like I had gotten to know him better in the past two weeks than I had since I met him. Actually, I was starting to think I might already know everything there is to know about Ranger. Maybe it was Carlos I was finally getting to know. It didn't really matter. Either way, I was enjoying this new side he was showing me.

It was now Friday afternoon, and I was up in Ranger's apartment, waiting for him to come home. I had a follow up with my new doctor, then Ranger and I were headed to the beach. I couldn't wait, because I was going to spend the weekend alone with Ranger. He had actually worked a lot this week, giving the rest of the core team time off because they had been working so much while I was at the hospital. It made me glad that I decided to stay at the apartment. He would come up and check on me a few times a day, and the other guys would visit, too.

One day, while Hal and Woody were up for a visit, I overheard Hal talking about trailing Morelli, and how they'd almost lost him because of a red light. My first instinct was to go find Ranger and give him a piece of my mind. How dare he follow Joe without talking to me about it first? Rather than just jumping ahead and attacking Ranger, I decided to think about it before I reacted. Once I actually thought about it, I realized it made me feel safer, and I appreciated the fact that Ranger cared enough to make sure I was safe. I did feel bad that he was bleeding money again to keep me safe, but it made me even more determined to get training. I actually planned on speaking to Ranger about that this weekend.

Ranger showed up thirty minutes before my doctor's appointment. He had packed earlier that morning, and I had put both our bags by the door.

"You ready, Babe?" he asked, picking up our bags.

"Yep. Let's get this party started," I told him.

He reached over and grabbed my hand as we headed to the elevator. Once inside, he pulled me back against his chest for the ride to the garage. This was another thing that seemed different about Ranger. He had always been physical towards me, but in an 'I want to throw you down and rip your clothes off' sort of way. This past week, he had started to touch me in small intimate ways, that left me feeling loved and cherished instead of insanely horny.

We went to the doctor's office and were out in 45 minutes. He said I was healing well and everything seemed to be okay. He also told me I could venture out some, but to take it easy, and make sure I wasn't alone.

We were walking to the car outside the doctor's office when my Spidey sense started tingling. I looked around the parking lot, but didn't see anything unusual. Maybe my Spidey sense was off because of the surgery. I shrugged it off and climbed into the Cayenne.

"Hey, Ranger, can we stop at the Tasty Pastry on the way out of town? I'd like to get some donuts and stuff for the beach."

He raised an eyebrow at me and smiled. "That stuff will kill you, Babe."

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe, but I'm willing to risk it."

"You know, they do have sweets at Point Pleasant."

"Of course I know that, but they don't have the Tasty Pastry at Point Pleasant," I explained.

He laughed and shook his head, but pointed the car in the direction of one of my favorite places in Trenton. He pulled in front of the store, and we got out and went inside. As soon as we walked in the door, I realized that stopping here might not have been the best idea. I hadn't really thought about it, but this was my first time out in the 'Burg since _the incident_, as I liked to call it. I should have known that as soon as one person saw me out and about, everyone would hear about it. I saw cell phones being whipped out by everyone inside. I think a few people even took my picture. I mean seriously, what is the big deal? I felt Ranger's hand on the back of my neck and relaxed a little. I turned around and looked at him.

"Who knew buying sweets was so newsworthy?" I asked him, trying to make light of the situation.

He wasn't having it, though. He was glaring at every person that was ogling me.

"Come on, Babe. Let's get what you want and get out of here so we can start our weekend at the beach."

I could tell he was annoyed, but there wasn't really anything I could do about it, so I stepped to the counter to give Betty my order. Before the words could even leave my mouth, there was a huge explosion and the windows of the Tasty Pastry were blown in. Ranger threw himself on top of me, but was still careful to watch my head.

After the smoke cleared, Ranger pulled me up and started running his hands all over me. If I didn't know him any better, I would say he was scared, but Batman doesn't do scared, so I must have misread him. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Babe, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Did you hit your head?"

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" I noticed some blood running down his forehead.

"I'm fine, Babe. Just a few scrapes."

He stood up and looked around, asking if everyone was okay. He grabbed my hand and pulled me with him. He had already taken his gun out, and seemed to be assessing the situation when his phone rang.

"Yo!"

I knew it was one of the guys, because they would have gotten an alert as soon as the Porsche had exploded.

"We're fine. We weren't in it when it blew. Get Ram and Cal down here to find out whatever they can on the explosive used. Who's on Morelli…? I want to know everywhere he's been today. Have Manny and Vince start going over the usual suspects for both Stephanie and me. You and Bobby get down here with another truck. Have Ella pack another bag for Steph and me, and you'll need to pack a bag, too. You're going to the beach for the weekend." Then he hung up.

I didn't want bodyguards with us for the weekend, but I knew it was useless to argue. If the guards weren't with us, Ranger would not be able to relax at all. He was already on another phone call, and I really wasn't paying attention, because I couldn't hear anything over all the sirens and the fire truck that had pulled up and begun to put out the Porsche. I couldn't believe I sent another Porsche to car heaven. Ranger was going to kill me. I felt horrible. Lost in my thoughts, I didn't realize Ranger was standing in front of me, talking.

"Huh? What did you say?"

He put his hands on both sides of my face. "I said I don't care about the car, Babe. As long as you weren't in it, I could care less. Bobby and Lester are on their way with another truck, and I want you to stay inside until they get here."

"What about you? You don't know that the explosion was meant for me. It could have been aimed at you, couldn't it?" I was a little annoyed that he just assumed it was for me.

He actually smiled at me, then laughed. "Anything is possible, Babe. However, normally when there is an explosion, it's meant for you, so I don't want to take any chances. I won't be going outside until Bobby and Lester get here, either, because I'm not going to leave you alone."

That's when I remembered the feeling I got as we left the doctor's office. "I guess my Spidey sense isn't on the blink after all."

He looked at me and raised his eyebrow. "Explain..."

"When we left the doctor's office, I thought something felt off."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so I thought maybe my Spidey sense was off because of the accident."

"Babe, I wish you'd trust yourself more. You have amazing instincts. Next time, tell me. Even if you think your wrong. It's better to be safe than sorry, right?"

I nodded, and he turned his attention to what was going on outside.

He had noticed Eddie and Carl outside, taking in the scene. They looked in through what used to be the windows and smiled at me. That's when I noticed numerous guys getting their wallets out as they exchanged money. I felt Ranger stiffen when he saw the money exchanging hands, but I didn't really think anything about it until Eddie and some of the other cops were inside.

"Thanks, Steph. I knew it was just a matter of time until you blew another one of Ranger's cars up. You just paid my mortgage for the month," Eddie told me, laughing with the rest of the guys.

He abruptly quit laughing when he noticed the look on Ranger's face. Ranger was not happy. He turned his gaze on the entire group of police and firefighters.

"I'm glad you find it amusing that someone tried to kill Stephanie again, but for the life of me, I cannot find anything about this situation funny. For people who claim to be such good friends of hers, you show an amazing amount of disrespect and callousness every time you place a bet on her life. If she had died today, would you still have spent the money on your mortgage or whatever it is you plan to do with it? I have had ENOUGH." This last word almost vibrated through the store, and everyone seemed to have stopped what they were doing to listen. "Stop betting on her life, or I WILL make you. Now, who is going to take our statements? We have somewhere to be, and I am tired of wasting time."

I wanted to do a happy dance by the time he was finished. I mean, I loved these guys, and had been friends with some of them since childhood, but they never seemed to care how it made me feel when they bet on me. As usual, it seemed like the only person that realized how much it hurt me was Ranger. He was once again my knight in shining armor.

"Listen, Ranger, we don't mean anything by it. It's all done in good fun. Right guys?" Big Dog said, while looking around for backup.

I saw Ranger's eyes narrow and focus on Big Dog, but before he could reply, Eddie spoke up. "No, you know what, Ranger's right. Steph could have been seriously injured or killed today. She always walks away from all these crazy things without a scratch, and we seem to just expect her to be okay. It's like she has nine lives or something. But if she had been hurt today, or God forbid, killed, I don't think I'd ever be able to forgive myself for making a joke out of it by betting."

He turned and looked at Ranger and I.

"I'm sorry, Steph. You know I love you like a sister, and I never meant any harm by it, but I never should have bet on your life. None of us should have," Eddie told me.

I looked around at the other guys, who were looking appropriately chastised. "I understand Eddie, but it really does hurt when you guys bet on me," I explained.

He nodded. "It won't happen again, Steph. I promise. Now let me get yours and Ranger's statements so you can get out of here."

Ranger and I told him what happened. Honestly, we didn't have much to tell them, so we were done pretty quickly. We headed outside, and I saw Bobby and Lester waiting across the street with two Explorers. They were both looking at us with concern.

"Hey, Beautiful, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Les, I'm good. I can't believe another Porsche went to car heaven."

He laughed. "You know what they say… Go big or go home! You definitely do that!" he said with a wink, before focusing on Ranger.

"Everyone is working on this, Ranger. Morelli hasn't been anywhere near the Porsche or Steph. He tied one on last night with Terry, and didn't get home until about three this morning. He hasn't left the house today."

Ranger nodded. I didn't even feel a twinge of jealousy when he mentioned Terry's name. I was so far over Joe that I was actually worried for Terry's safety.

"All right, I want Tank on point for this mess this weekend. I promised Stephanie we would relax, and I intend to. I do want you to keep me up-to-date with all information, but I want you to be the one he contacts. Understood?"

Lester nodded and climbed into the Explorer with Bobby. Ranger and I got into the other one, and we pulled out and headed towards the beach.

I was exhausted, so within five minutes, I was down for the count. I woke up to the feeling of being carried, and struggled to get down.

"Shhhhh. Babe, go back to sleep. It's past midnight."

I stopped fighting and drifted back asleep. I didn't wake up again until morning, and found myself wrapped around Ranger.

"Morning, Babe."

**Stalker POV**

Well, I guess I got off lucky today. The bomb I placed under the Porsche wasn't supposed to go off until they got to Point Pleasant. Explosives were never my strong suit. I perfer to kill someone up close and personal. If it hadn't been for that stupid bitch's sweet tooth, my plan would have ended way too soon. I definately want _Ranger_ and Stephanie Plum dead, but I intend to have some fun with them first. I want to make sure that _Ranger _suffers the way he's made me suffer. I watch him with that bitch, and it disgusts me.

After all I have gone through because of him, it doesn't even bother him. It was his fault that my sister, Alexi, was dead and he was just going about his life like she never even mattered. I can't even express the hatred that I feel for that man. I spent the first twenty years of my life doing everything to keep my sister safe. I kept my mother's 'boyfriends' away from her by letting them have their way with me. That darkness only touched her life one time, and she almost didn't survive it, but I got her through it. She graduated from college and was starting an amazing career with the FBI, until Ricardo Manoso was dropped in her path. All my years of sacrfice and hard work were undone in less than a year.

I have waited for years to have this opportunity. I've silently watched him, waiting for him to find someone he cared about half as much as I cared for my sister, and it finally happened. I never thought it would be the bumbling idiot known as the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, but I didn't care who it was. I just wanted to make sure he suffered her loss before I killed him.

**TBC...**

**Connie & Jenny, Thanks for all your awesome skills betaing! **


	14. Chapter 14

FADE TO BLACK

Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.

WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.

_PREVIOUSLY:_

_Stalker POV_

_Well, I guess I got off lucky today. The bomb I placed under the Porsche wasn't supposed to go off until they got to Point Pleasant. Explosives were never my strong suit. I perfer to kill someone up close and personal. If it hadn't been for that stupid bitch's sweet tooth, my plan would have ended way too soon. I definately want Ranger and Stephanie Plum dead, but I intend to have some fun with them first. I want to make sure that Ranger suffers the way he's made me suffer. I watch him with that bitch, and it disgusts me._

_After all I have gone through because of him, it doesn't even bother him. It was his fault that my sister, Alexi, was dead and he was just going about his life like she never even mattered. I can't even express the hatred that I feel for that man. I spent the first twenty years of my life doing everything to keep my sister safe. I kept my mother's 'boyfriends' away from her by letting them have their way with me. That darkness only touched her life one time, and she almost didn't survive it, but I got her through it. She graduated from college and was starting an amazing career with the FBI, until Ricardo Manoso was dropped in her path. All my years of sacrfice and hard work were undone in less than a year._

_I have waited for years to have this opportunity. I've silently watched him, waiting for him to find someone he cared about half as much as I cared for my sister, and it finally happened. I never thought it would be the bumbling idiot known as the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, but I didn't care who it was. I just wanted to make sure he suffered her loss before I killed him._

CHAPTER 14

RPOV

I woke at my normal time, but decided to lay in bed and watch Stephanie sleep. Waking up with her this week had been perfect. I didn't even want to think of going back to waking up alone. While I watched her sleep, I thought about the bomb. How had the bomber known here to find us? I guess Steph had told most of her friends and family where we were going so that meant the entire 'Burg knew. Tank had called about the time we got to the house to let us know that the preliminary report was in on the explosion, and that a timer had been used. If it weren't for Steph's sweet tooth, we would have been in the car when it blew. The fact that she had felt something off before we got in the car just amazed me. I knew that with the proper physical training, she would be unstoppable. Her instincts were incredible. I just needed to get her to trust them.

I was pissed that I hadn't kept my Babe safe. I couldn't understand why the alarms on the Porsche weren't triggered when the bomb was put in place. I knew that Morelli hadn't actually placed the bomb, but for some reason, I felt like he had something to do with it. If he were, that would mean he had an accomplice.

After he made bail, I had my guys look into anyone in Morelli's life that might help him hurt Steph. Even though nothing had happened, I didn't want to take a chance. All the results pointed to either his cousin, Mooch, or his brother, Anthony. I had trackers placed on each of their cell phones and cars so I could be aware of their locations. I had Tank check where both signals were at the time Steph and I were in the doctor's office, because I figured that was the only time the bomb could have been placed. They were both at work, and Tank had been able to verify that with numerous witnesses, so it basically left us with nothing.

I felt Steph start to wake up in my arms.

"Morning, Babe."

"Morning, Batman."

I chuckled at the nickname. It was flattering, but also a little daunting. Steph snuggled closer in my arms and kissed my neck. She pulled away and started to get up, but I stopped her. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Let me up. I've gotta go to the little girl's room."

I let go of her and watched her walk into the bathroom, snagging a scarf for her head along the way. I knew she was extremely self-conscious about her hair, or lack thereof, but I honestly still thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I climbed out of bed and grabbed a pair of sweats and some shorts for Steph to put on. I had changed her into one of my t-shirts last night, but I wasn't about to let the guys see how incredibly sexy she looked in just a t-shirt and panties.

When she came back into the bedroom, I handed her the shorts. She looked at me a little strange.

"I told you before I don't share. I need Lester and Bobby here to keep us safe. It would be very inconvenient if I had to kill them for looking at your sexy little ass."

Her entire face turned red at the thought, and it made me instantly hard. There was something about her when she blushed, and every time, it made me want to throw her over my shoulder and take her to bed for a week. Actually, pretty much everything she did made me want to do that. Those thoughts were on hold for the time being, but I did want to talk to her about us this weekend.

I grabbed her hand and headed downstairs, knowing that the guys were already cooking breakfast. I had asked them to make some of her favorites, since we didn't end up picking anything up at the Tasty Pastry.

"Hey, Bomber, how are you this morning? Did you get a good night's sleep?" Bobby asked.

"Yes, thanks. Now, where's the coffee?"

Bobby chuckled and handed her a cup of coffee and a plate of Belgium waffles. All the men knew she hated mornings. I saw my Babe's eyes glaze over, then she smiled. She was so easy to please.

"So what do you want to do this weekend, Babe?" I asked her.

"Nothing specific. I just want to relax. You know I still get tired easily, so I don't want to do too much. A walk on the beach would be nice. It's not that cold yet."

"A walk on the beach it is then. When you're done with breakfast, go take a shower and get ready."

She nodded and resumed eating. Lately she'd been trying to control her moaning in front of me while she ate. It bothered me before today, but now, I was grateful. I hated the looks the guys got on their faces when she ate.

"Yum. That was delicious. Who cooked?"she asked.

"I did, Bomber. I actually enjoy cooking when I have the time," Bobby told her.

"Well, I'll let you cook for me anytime you want if it's always that tasty," she told him, before she headed upstairs to shower.

As soon as she was gone, I turned to the guys. "Report!"

"Not much to tell. A high-grade explosive was used, but nothing that isn't pretty easy to obtain if you know the right people. You already knew it was on a timer, but it looks like it might have malfunctioned. Al is trying to figure out how the bomber got past his alarms. We've gone through all of Morelli's known associates, but no one stands out, which is a good thing, I guess, but no one else seems like a likely suspect, either. No FTAs were recently released that had a grudge with you or Steph. No one from any of your past missions are raising any red flags, either. I know you don't want to hear this, but we basically have nothing," Lester told me.

"Fuck! Well, keep looking. There has to be something. We're just missing it."

"I know, Boss. We'll keep looking. How close do you want us for your beach stroll?" Lester grinned at me.

"Close enough to keep us safe, but not close enough for you to eavesdrop."

Lester was a bigger gossip than Grandma Mazur. I glared at him, but he just laughed and walked off. Sometimes I wished he wasn't my cousin. It would be so much easier to make him disappear. I went upstairs to change clothes and wait for Steph.

We headed out to the beach, holding hands. I decided this would be a good time to talk to Steph about us, and I was suddenly totally freaked out. It wasn't as if I was asking her to marry me. I just wanted to see if she wanted to have a relationship, but the thought that she might say no had me scared shitless.

"Ranger, is something wrong?"

Of course she'd notice.

"No, Babe. Everything is fine. I just wanted to talk to you about some things, and was trying to figure out what to say."

She stilled and looked up at me like I was about to break her heart. I knew she was thinking I was going to tell her something along the lines of I didn't want to see her anymore, or maybe give her another ridiculous line like 'my life doesn't lend itself to relationships.' I pulled on her arm, getting her to start walking down the beach again. I needed to walk to help cover up my nervousness.

"It's nothing bad, Babe. At least, I hope you won't think it is. I've been doing a lot of thinking these past few weeks. After you came back from the beach and talked to me about the changes you wanted to make in your life, I thought about some of the changes I wanted to make, too. In about a month and a half, my contract is up with the government. I decided not to renew." She started to say something but I stopped her. "Let me get this out, then you can ask me any questions you want."

"Okay," she agreed.

"I also decided to take a step back from the business. Nothing drastic. I just want to give some of the other guys more responsibility so I can have more time to myself.

""I once told you 'my life doesn't lend itself to relationships', and it's true." I felt her stiffen, and stopped to wrap my arms around her. I needed to look at her when I said this. "My life _doesn't_ lend itself to relationships, but neither does yours. I once told you 'I loved you but in my own way'. That's true, too, but I love you the only way I know how. I love you with all my heart. I know being in a relationship with me won't be easy, but I would like nothing more than to have a chance at a relationship with you. There is still a chance that an enemy from my past could use you against me, but if you are willing to work with me, I think we could keep you safe. I just want to be with you and see where we go from here. I love you, and can't imagine my life without you in it. If we're honest with each other, we already have a relationship. I just want to make it official."

She stared into my eyes for what seemed like hours. It was probably closer to a few seconds, but I had just laid my heart on the line, and the silence seemed deafening. Then she smiled. As soon as I saw the smile, I knew she wanted me, too.

"I love you, too, Ranger. I finally admitted it the last time I was here, but I've known since Scrog. The last time I was here, I made those lists up, trying to decide what I wanted in my life. When I made the ones for my personal life, I realized you already gave me everything I wanted in my personal life. Actually, you pretty much gave me everything I wanted in my professional life, too. I want nothing more than to be with you. I love you, Carlos."

Dios! Hearing my name on her lips about pushed me over the edge. It was all I could do not to drag her back to the house and make love to her all day and all night, but she hadn't recovered enough for that. I settled for crashing my lips down on hers and kissing her with all the emotion I felt. When I ended the kiss, we were both gasping for air. I leaned down to kiss her again, but we were interrupted by Lester.

"Let the girl breathe, Ranger. She's still recovering from major surgery. Give her a break."

I turned to glare at him, and noticed Bobby's eyes were about to pop out of his head. He was looking at Lester like he'd lost his mind. Before I could say or do anything, Steph slipped out of my arms, walked over to Lester, and smacked him upside the head.

"Mind your own damn business, Santos." she told him.

Lester was rubbing his head where she'd hit him. Bobby and I were both trying not to laugh.

"Geez, Beautiful, I was just trying to protect you," Lester scoffed.

My Babe gave him her famous 'Burg eye roll and walked back to me. She took my hand and looked back over her shoulder at Lester.

"I can't believe out of 10,000 sperm, you were the quickest."

As soon as she said it, I busted out laughing. Bobby about fell over, he was laughing so hard. The look on Lester's face was priceless. It took a minute, but I finally got myself under control.

"Only you, Babe. Only you."

She just shrugged her shoulders and started walking again. We were quiet for a while after that, just enjoying the peacefulness of the beach. I was thinking about the fact that I hadn't been this happy in my life. I was still lost in thought when I felt Steph tug on my hand.

"Ranger, I'm feeling a little tired. Do you mind if we head back?" she asked.

"No, Babe, not at all. I'm sorry... I shouldn't have had you out this long. Do you want me to have Lester go get the car?"

"No, I'm fine. I wanted to talk to you about something anyway." I nodded, telling her to go on. "I know I haven't recovered enough yet, but I wanted you to know I still plan on doing all the things we spoke about in terms of training and work. Actually, what happened makes me even more determined to do it. Are you still willing to help me?"

"Of course I will. I wanted to ask you about it anyway. That was one of the things I was referring to when I mentioned keeping you safe. I have already spoken to Tank, Lester, and Bobby, and they have all agreed to help with your training. There is one thing I want you to be aware of. I'm hoping that my contract will just end without any more missions, but it's much more likely that I will be called on one last mission. I hope it doesn't happen, but I want you to be prepared for the possibility."

"Okay, I will be," she nodded. We had made it back to the house and were on the porch, when Steph stopped me. "Thank you, Ranger."

I raised my eyebrow, trying to figure out what she was talking about. "For what?"

"For telling me you might have another mission. I'm glad you gave me a warning so I could be prepared, rather than just finding out one day you had to leave. I'll pray that you don't have to go, but if you do, I promise I will be careful and try to follow all of the Merry Men's rules," she told me with a grin. "Just remember, I said I'd try, not that I _would_ follow all their orders. Following orders isn't my strong suit."

"That's good enough for me, Babe. You wouldn't be the woman I know and love if you just obeyed everyone's commands."

We went inside and decided to order pizza for dinner.

Sunday was pretty much the same. Steph was tired, so we stayed near the house. I enjoyed every second I spent with her. I never thought I'd enjoy doing nothing, but as long as my Babe was beside me, I was happy.

My men still didn't have any more leads on the bomber, and I was getting extremely pissed at their lack of progress. Al was positive that no one could have gotten around his bells an whistles without inside knowledge, but even that revelation didn't give us any solid leads. We headed back to Trenton Sunday evening. I had spoken to Steph about keeping a man with her when she left the office. She didn't argue with me, reminding me that the doctor said she couldn't be alone anyway, and she still wasn't feeling entirely steady on her feet, so arguing about it seemed pointless. I was surprised, but relieved, that she had agreed. With one less thing to worry about, I spent the next week focusing on finding our bomber.

TBC...

Shout out to Connie and Jenny for all their brilliant idea's and amazing editing!


	15. Chapter 15

FADE TO BLACK

Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.

WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.

_PREVIOUSLY:_

_We went inside and decided to order pizza for dinner. _

_Sunday was pretty much the same. Steph was tired, so we stayed near the house. I enjoyed every second I spent with her. I never thought I'd enjoy doing nothing, but as long as my Babe was beside me, I was happy. _

_My men still didn't have any more leads on the bomber, and I was getting extremely pissed at their lack of progress. We headed back to Trenton Sunday evening. I had spoken to Steph about keeping a man with her when she left the office. She didn't argue with me, reminding me that the doctor said she couldn't be alone anyway, and she still wasn't feeling entirely steady on her feet, so arguing about it seemed pointless. I was surprised, but relieved, that she had agreed. With one less thing to worry about, I spent the next week focusing on finding our bomber._

Chapter 15

SPOV

After we got back from the beach, we settled into a routine. Ranger would get up at the butt crack of dawn and do whatever crazy people do at that time. He would come back and get ready for work, wake me up, and we would have breakfast together. I would shower after he left. Normally three or four of the guys would come up and visit before lunch. At lunchtime, Ranger would come eat with me.

My dad had started coming to visit around that time, and he would stay and eat lunch, too. I was really starting to worry about him. He looked and acted fine. Actually, he seemed happier and younger than I can ever remember. I asked him what was going on, but all he would say is "Pumpkin, you worry about yourself and getting well." I knew he loved me and was trying to protect me, but he had to know I'd find out what was going on eventually. There are no secrets in the 'Burg.

During the afternoon, I usually went to visit friends or they came to visit me. Mary Lou had stopped off on Wednesday after lunch and filled me in on all the latest gossip. Apparently, I had run off and gotten married to Ranger over the weekend. I wish. Whoa, where did that come from? I decided to pretend it had never crossed my mind.

It seemed the 'Burg was split down the middle, taking sides on whose fault 'the incident' was. Some people had even started wearing t-shirts that said Team Plum or Team Morelli.

I was mortified when she told me this, and when she told me there had even been a few fights over it, I almost cried. Evidently, my mother and Mrs. Morelli were attached at the hip, and that was one of the reasons so many people thought I was in the wrong. If my mother thought it was my fault, then it had to be.

Hearing about my mother made my heart clench. I just couldn't understand why she hated me. What was so wrong with me that she thought I deserved to be beaten and raped? I mean, I know I'm not the best daughter, but I thought parents were supposed to love you unconditionally.

These thoughts were swirling around in my head while Mary Lou continued to talk.

"Steph, don't you dare think this is your fault, or that you deserve it. There is something very, very wrong with your mother. I can't imagine saying and doing the things to my boys your mother has done to you. They could commit murder, and I would still love them. I would be upset and extremely disappointed, but they would still be my little boys."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess, Lou. You know, the weird thing is that I haven't heard a thing from Val this whole time. She never came to visit at the hospital, and she hasn't returned any of my calls. I miss Mary Alice and Angie. I had hoped she would bring them to visit."

Mary Lou looked away from my gaze and cleared her throat. She sighed, turned back and squeezed my hand. "It seems your sister has taken sides with your mother."

I was stunned. "What? Why would she do that?"

I couldn't believe it. I had somehow managed to split my entire family right down the middle.

"It seems she blames you for the fact that your dad has moved out and has filed for divorce."

"WHAT? Daddy moved out? He filed for divorce? Where is he living? Why didn't he tell me?"

I started to cry. Mary Lou scooted across the couch and gave me a big hug. "I can't believe you don't know where he's living," she said with a chuckle. I looked at her questioningly. "He's staying at your apartment. Your grandmother has moved out, too. She's staying with some stud muffin she met at the senior center. Your mother and Valerie are completely scandalized by all this, and they are telling anyone that will listen that you did all this intentionally."

I was shocked into complete silence.

"Steph, the people who really know you, know this isn't your fault. The only people willing to believe the Morellis and your sister and mom, are the 'Burg busybodies, who are dying for more juicy gossip."

A tear slid down my cheek, and she hugged me tighter.

"Steph, you are one of the best people I know. I'll never understand why people treat you the way they do. Don't worry about the 'Burg. You have Ranger and the Merry Men, me, Lenny, the boys, Connie, Lula, and a ton of other people who love you with all our hearts. We know where the fault lies. You just focus on getting well."

I sighed and nodded my head.

"Now, I want the lowdown on what's going on with you and that fine-ass Cuban!" she grinned at me.

I told her everything that had happened since my first trip to the beach a few weeks ago. I told her how sweet and gentle he had been, and how he was telling me more about himself. I finally told her we'd decided to try a relationship, and she squealed so loud I had to cover my ears.

"You are the luckiest woman on the planet. That man is fine. If Michelangelo had seen Ranger, he would have fired David on the spot and had Ranger pose for him. Yum. So... how's the sex?"

I giggled. "I'm not cleared for any type of activities, other than walking, and Ranger will never go against the doctor's orders, no matter how much I want him to," I told her with an eye roll.

She just laughed. We spent the rest of the day reminiscing and gossiping. When she left to pick up the kids from school, I decided to take a nap. I had a lot of information to process, and it was giving me a headache.

At six on the dot, I woke up to someone giving me butterfly kissing down my jawbone to my neck. I rolled over to see Ranger smiling down at me.

"Time for dinner, Sleeping Beauty."

"Kay," I mumbled as I got up and followed him into the kitchen.

We spent most of dinner talking. I filled him in on everything Mary Lou had told me. He seemed to already know that my Dad had been staying at my apartment, but other than that, he seemed sincerely surprised by a lot of the other information. After dinner, Ranger sat down on the couch and pulled me to his lap. He felt tense, and he looked at me questioningly.

"Babe, I've been thinking. I wanted to ask you a question about RangeMan." I was a little surprised, but I just waited until he elaborated. "You mentioned wanting to work at RangeMan more, right?"

He seemed nervous. I hadn't really seen a nervous Ranger, aside from when he asked about us starting a relationship. It made me smile.

"Yes, I'd like to do more than just searches, though. The girls at the office told me Vinnie had to hire someone to replace me, because I am going to be out for a few more months. I got a little pissed at first, but after I thought about it, I was okay. I thought maybe I could stay here full-time and learn a little more in whatever areas you think I could help in. In addition, it has the advantage of seeing you almost everyday. I was hoping after I was well enough and had some training, you'd let me work in the field some, too. You know how I get if I am cooped up for too long."

His whole body seemed to relax, and he gave me one of his 200-watt smiles. "That was what I wanted, as well. I like the thought of you here everyday. I was also wondering if you wouldn't mind trying to learn part of the business side of RangeMan. I have spoken to the guys, and we all agree you would be better with clients, and could probably handle some of the other business aspects better than we do, too. I would never keep you chained to a desk. Don't get me wrong, you won't be doing anything until you are cleared by the doctor, and even then, you won't be doing much more than surveillance until you get training. Does that work for you?"

I gave him my best smile. "That sounds perfect!"

"Okay, one last question. Will you move in with me?" he asked quietly.

I stared at him with my best fish impression.

"Hear me out. I know we just decided to start a relationship, but if you think about it, we've been working up to this for three years now. I've gotten used to going to bed with you in my arms and waking up the same way. I don't want to go back to the way it was before, just because your head has healed. Mary Lou mentioned when she was leaving that she told you that your dad is staying at your apartment, and if you aren't ready for this, I'll understand. I'll help you find a place for your dad to stay. Please consider it. I love you more every day. Falling asleep without you seems like a step back in our relationship. Not a step forward," he finally finished.

Wow, when Batman wanted to talk, he could be a serious wordsmith. I was still gawking at him with my O face, not the good O face, unfortunately, and he started to fidget a little. I realized I had been quiet for too long. I thought about it for a second, and realized it was exactly what I had wanted, too. I wasn't even a little nervous about it.

"Yes, Ranger, I'd love to move in with you." I told him.

I was surprised at how comfortable I was with the idea of living with him. The few times I had tried to cohabitate with Joe had always ended disastrously, because I felt like I was suffocating. Now, I just felt relieved that Ranger wanted the same thing I did.

"I love you, Babe."

"I love you too."

He gave me a 1000-watt smile, leaned forward, and kissed me. It started out soft and sweet, but by the time we finished, it was hot and sexy.

_I'm not going to make it until the doctor clears me without spontaneously combusting_, I thought. Ranger barked with laughter. Crap, I said that outloud.

"You never disappoint, Babe."

"Want to watch a movie before bed?" I asked, changing the subject quickly.

"Sure, you pick."

We spent the rest of the evening snuggling on the couch, watching a movie I don't even remember the name to. I was too busy enjoying the feel of Ranger's arms around me. Right before we went to bed, he told me that the D.A. would be calling me sometime tomorrow to speak to me about the preliminary hearing. Great... that sounded like such fun. I climbed into bed and assumed my favorite position, where I was all snuggled up to Ranger, and drifted to sleep.

TBC...

Thanks to Connie & Jenny, Connie you're idea's are always great and Jenny I swear I had you as an English teacher in another life. Your both great!


	16. Chapter 16

FADE TO BLACK

Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.

WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.

_PREVIOUSLY:_

_"Yes, Ranger, I'd love to move in with you. I love you with all my heart," I told him._

_I was surprised at how comfortable I was with the idea of living with him. The few times I had tried to cohabitate with Joe had always ended disastrously, because I felt like I was suffocating. Now, I just felt relieved that Ranger wanted the same thing I did. _

"_I love you, too, Babe."_

_He gave me a 1000-watt smile, leaned forward, and kissed me. It started out soft and sweet, but by the time we finished, it was hot and sexy. _

_I'm not going to make it until the doctor clears me without spontaneously combusting, I thought. Ranger barked with laughter. Crap, I said that outloud. _

"_You never disappoint, Babe." _

"_Want to watch a movie before bed?" I asked, changing the subject quickly. _

"_Sure, you pick." _

_We spent the rest of the evening snuggling on the couch, watching a movie I don't even remember the name to. I was too busy enjoying the feel of Ranger's arms around me. Right before we went to bed, he told me that the D.A. would be calling me sometime tomorrow to speak to me about the preliminary hearing. Great... that sounded like such fun. I climbed into bed and assumed my favorite position, where I was all snuggled up to Ranger, and drifted to sleep._

Chapter 16

RPOV

Thursday morning, I was walking on cloud nine. Stephanie had agreed to move in with me, and I felt like all was right in my world. Even the fact that I hadn't learned one new thing about the bomber didn't ruin my mood. I had meetings all morning, but after lunch, Steph and I were going to go to the bonds office, then her apartment to move everything out. She also wanted to talk to her father about the fact that he hadn't told her what was going on with her family.

I knew Frank wasn't trying to keep anything from her. He just wanted her to get better before he told her everything. He should have known the 'Burg would get to her first. I knew once she talked to her Dad about everything, she would feel better and forgive him, but I figured I should at least warn him we were coming, so I called him before my meeting. I sat through my meetings, barely paying attention. Tank and Bobby were there, and they would be handling the installations anyway. I was just here because the client was a pompous ass and thought he should only deal with the President of the company. Since this contract would run into the millions, I decided to suck it up and pretend to listen. As soon as we were out of the meeting, I headed to the elevator so I could have lunch with Steph, but I was stopped by Tank's voice.

"Hey, Boss, you seem distracted. Everything okay?"

I stopped and turned around to look at him. The smile on my face must have caught him off guard, because he looked at me like I might be out of my mind.

"I'm great, Tank. Things couldn't be better." I realized I hadn't asked him about the house hunting for him and Lula, and it made me feel like an ass. I had been so wrapped up in Steph that it slipped my mind. "So how goes the house hunting?" I asked.

He gave me a huge grin. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I wondered if I could have Tuesday and Wednesday off next week." I raised my eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. "Lula and I found a place. We close on Tuesday, and are moving in on Wednesday."

I clapped him on the shoulder. "That's great, man. I'm happy for you both. Of course you can get it off. See if you can find someone to cover, but if you can't, I'll take care of it. You sure you don't need more time?"

"No, this place is perfect. It's move-in ready. I already asked all the guys who are off to help me move, and they all agreed. There should be about ten guys there, so it won't take long. We've been packing for the past few days, so it should be plenty of time. Once we're unpacked, you and Bomber will have to come see it."

"Most definitely. I look forward to it." I chuckled and punched the button on the elevator. "Steph agreed to move in with me last night. We're going to pick up all her things this afternoon," I said as we got on the elevator.

He was going up to see Luis about something.

"That explains the good mood, then. I was wondering if you were going to break out in song in the meeting today." I gave him a WTF look. "Okay, so only Bobby and I could tell how happy you were, but your blank face did slip a few times. Do you need any help with her things?"

"I'm not sure. I'll call if we do," I told him as he got off the elevator.

I went upstairs and had lunch with Steph. She was starting to fidget a lot, and I knew she was going stir crazy from being cooped up inside. As soon as our lunch was finished, we headed down to the bonds office. I needed to speak with Vinnie, and Steph just wanted to visit.

When we walked into the room, the girls went completely silent. I tried to keep myself from smiling at their reaction, but my blank face seemed to be on the blink, and I ended up grinning at them. This caused Connie to drop the cup she was holding, spilling coffee everywhere, and Lula just looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"He in?" I asked and nodded towards Vinnie's office.

Connie just nodded, and I went inside. The last thing I could hear was Lula asking Steph what she'd done to put that smile on my face. I few seconds later, I heard squeals. I guess she told them she was moving in with me. Just the thought made me smile. My badass image is going to be ruined in a matter of days at this rate.

I spoke to Vinnie and got out of his office as fast as I could. Every time I left that office, I felt the need for a Clorox bath. When I walked out of his office, I heard Lula telling Steph and Connie all about her new house. She seemed so happy and excited. I was happy for her and my best friend. They had both had a rough life, but both had come out the other side better people. If anyone deserved happiness, it was them.

I sat down beside Stephanie and let her visit for a little while longer. I knew staying inside was hard for her, but she had been trying very hard to follow the doctor's orders. After they had gossiped themselves out, we headed back to the Explorer so we could move her out of her apartment and into ours.

As soon as we stepped outside, I felt like something was wrong. I reached for my gun, and noticed Steph was tense and looking around, too. It seemed both of our Spidey senses were tingling. I looked up and down the street before settling my gaze on the Explorer. I noticed there was a note under the windshield wiper. I felt and heard Steph sigh. She had been through this so often, she already knew what to expect. I pulled out my phone and called the control room.

"RangeMan!"

"Vince, get some of the guys down to Vinnie's. There's a note on the Explorer, and since we already know this guy is capable of building a bomb, I want to be prepared. Make sure they bring the kits. I want to know exactly where Morelli has been today, as well as any of his friends and family. Call Al, and have him send a flatbed. I want the truck loaded up, taken back to RangeMan and processed."

"Copy that, Boss."

I grabbed Steph's hand and pulled her back into the bonds office. "Babe, stay inside. I'm going to go check things out until the guys get here."

"Why aren't you staying inside, Ranger? You don't even know what the note says. For all you know, someone could have backed into your truck and left their insurance information for you. Granted, in Jersey, that's unlikely, but it could still happen. What if the note is meant for you? Then you'll be walking around, making a gigantic target of yourself."

I could tell she was starting to get herself worked up, so I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed behind her neck gently, pulled her towards me, and kissed her for all I was worth. When I finally pulled away, we were both out of breath. She had a glazed look in her eyes, and Connie and Lula were fanning themselves.

"Okay, Babe, you win. I'll stay inside, too, until the guys get here."

I wrapped my arms around her and silently fumed at myself, because this guy had gotten so close to us without me realizing it. Way to be aware of my surroundings. I knew Steph was hoping the note wasn't anything important, but we both knew it was. I looked out the window and watched the guys pull up and get to work. I grabbed Steph's hand, and we walked outside to meet them.

After they looked the car over and determined it was safe to approach, Ram took the note off the window and handed it to me. I made sure that my blank face was in place. It had started to show some cracks this morning, but this had jarred me back to my reality. I opened the note and read what the latest nutjob had to say. My gut clinched in fear as I saw what I already knew. Someone was after my Babe again, but the note was directed towards me.

_Do you really think you can keep her safe? Do you actually expect her to follow your rules? You know she'll never obey you. You'll never be able to keep her safe. If you want to find happiness, you won't find it with her. I promise you that she will never be with you. Do you think you can live with her blood on your hands? Do you think she could live with your blood on hers? Walk away from her now and give her up, or I promise you'll regret it._

I read the note again, then I heard Stephanie clear her throat. She was looking at me and holding her hand out, waiting for me to give her the note. I knew better than to try to hide it from her, so I handed it over. I watched as she read the note and noticed that she was frowning. When she looked back at me, she just sighed.

I took the note and handed it back to Ram before I enveloped her in a hug. I wasn't sure who I was trying to reassure, but it made me feel better when I was touching her.

"Babe, this guy isn't going to get anywhere near you. I can, and will, do everything in my power to keep you safe. It took me three years to make you mine, and I'm not about to lose you now."

She leaned up on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss on my lips. "I know, Ranger. I'm not worried at all. You always keep me safe." She gave me a dazzling smile. "So since the guys seem to have this under control, can we go get my stuff at my apartment?"

"Of course we can."

She always surprised me. She didn't even seem the least bit upset about the note. I had never known a woman who could handle the things she has been through. She was truly amazing. I turned to get the keys to another Explorer from Ram.

"Bossman, do you want us to call in the cops for this?" he asked.

"No, not yet. Let's keep this in-house unless it turns uglier. Did you bring the extra keys for the Explorer?"

He just nodded and handed them to me. I opened the passenger door for Steph, and she climbed inside. We headed to her apartment to get her things. I had spoken with her father earlier to tell him she had agreed to move in with me, because I didn't want us to just show up and spring it on him. I told him I wasn't looking for his permission, but I was hoping for his blessing. He had readily given it to me, saying that Steph would have been pissed off had I asked for his permission; she was capable of making her own decisions.

He told me he felt that I understood his daughter better than anyone else ever had, and that I was the man he had hoped she would always find. Normally, praise means very little to me. I expect to be the best at everything I do, so I don't need anyone to tell me what I already know. Having Frank approve of me actually made me feel good, though.

We pulled into her apartment and headed upstairs. We spent the next few hours packing, and she and her father had a heart to heart about the drama that was her family. Since Steph still wasn't allowed to lift anything, I called some of the guys and had them come over and take everything to RangeMan. I invited Frank to Pino's with us to have dinner, and he agreed. By the time we made it back to our apartment, Ella had unpacked everything. Sometimes, even I thought woman was magic! I looked around the apartment and thought it was perfect. Ella had pulled some of my things out of storage, and they were mixed with Stephanie's things around the apartment. Her clothes were hanging in the closet, and the bathroom actually looked like a woman lived there.

Steph had definitely had a long day and was exhausted, so she went to change as soon as we got home. After I walked around the apartment and took notice of all the subtle changes, I went in and got ready for bed, too. I noticed Ella had bought a jewelry box for Stephanie, so I went and put the dog tag the nurse gave me in it. I hadn't given it back to her yet, because I didn't want her to know I'd seen the engraving. By the time I slipped under the sheet, Steph was already asleep. As soon as I lay down, she rolled over, wrapped her arms around me, and locked her leg between both of mine. I fell asleep feeling happy and content with my life for the first time I could remember.

Stalker POV

I watched as Ranger and his bitch walked out of the bonds office. They both instantly tensed, as if they knew something was off. If I didn't hate the man so much, I might actually admire his instincts. He would succeed in my business extremely well. I knew he was basically a hired killer for the government, and it didn't take much to make the leap to just a hired killer from there.

I watched as he had his men descended on the truck, looking for any evidence. It was kind of insulting that he thought I'd be that careless. Of course, he was used to dealing with the stupid idiots that were constantly after his girlfriend. He had never gone up against someone like me. I had been trained by the same people who had trained him, at least up to a point. The military didn't seem to think women were capable of being killing machines. I was proof of how wrong they were. I took what they taught me and made a career out of it. I learned it was actually much easier for a woman to become a contract killer, because women could get close to their marks easier than men. It was a very lucrative business, and it had helped pay for my sister's education.

She never knew what I did after the Army. I told her I was a consultant for the military after I got out. I can still hear her voice. "Leah, what do you do when you're out of the country for months at a time? It must be exciting. Where have you been?"

She was always so curious, and she thought I lived a glamorous life. The only fear I ever had, after I became a killer for hire, was that that part of my life would somehow touch her. I kept it as far away from her as I could, thinking she would never come near it working as an analyst for the FBI. Unfortunately, because of some stupid Intel she came across, she was loaned out to the CIA on a field mission, then killed by Ricardo Manoso.

As I watched Ranger's jaw clench while reading the note I'd left, I felt a twinge of satisfaction. I wanted him to worry. I wanted him to wonder what would happen next. I had been very careful in my wording so he wouldn't pick up on my plan. My partner believed I wanted the same thing he did. I wanted them apart so I could have Ranger to myself and he could have Stephanie. I would need him later, so I never let him know that my end game was to make sure they both died. More than that, I wanted them both to suffer before I killed them.

TBC...

As always thanks to Jenny & Connie for all their help!


	17. Chapter 17

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada. **

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you. **

_**Previously:**_

_**Stalker POV**___

I watched as Ranger and his bitch walked out of the bonds office. They_ both instantly tensed, as if they knew__something was off. If I didn't hate the man so much, I might actually admire his instincts. He would succeed in my business extremely well. I knew he was basically a hired killer for the __government, and it didn't take much to make the leap to just a hired killer from there._

I watched as he had his men descended on the _truck, looking for any evidence. It was kind of insulting that he thought I'd be that careless. Of course, he was used to dealing with the stupid idiots that were constantly after his girlfriend. He had never gone up against someone like me. I had been trained by the same people who had trained him, at least up to a point. The military didn't seem to think women were capable of being killing machines. I was proof of how wrong they were. I took what they taught me and made a career out of it. I learned it was actually much easier for a woman to become a contract killer, because women could get close to their marks easier than men. It was a very lucrative __business, and it had helped pay for my sister's education._

She never knew what I did after the _Army. I told her I was a consultant for the military after I got out. I can still hear her voice. "Leah, what do you do when you're out of the country for months at a time? It must be exciting. Where have you been?"_

_She was always so curious, and she thought I lived a glamorous life. The only fear I ever had, after I became a killer for hire, was that the job part of my life would somehow touch her. I kept it as far away from her as I could, thinking she would never come near it working as an analyst for the FBI. Unfortunately, because of some stupid Intel she came across, she was loaned out to the CIA on a field __mission, then killed by Ricardo Manoso._

As I watched _Ranger's jaw clench while reading the note I'd left, I felt a twinge of satisfaction. I wanted him to worry. I wanted him to wonder what would happen next. I had been very careful in my wording so he wouldn't pick up on my plan. My partner believed I wanted the same thing he did. I wanted them apart so I could have Ranger to myself and he could have Stephanie. I would need him later, so I never let him know that my end game was to make sure they both died. More than that, I wanted them both to suffer before I killed them._

**Disclaimer****: There is some legal mumbo jumbo in this chapter and I hope that it is correct, but I'm not positive so I hope I haven't made a total ****mockery**** of the justice system. All I had to go on was what I could google so please bare with me. :D**

**Chapter 17**

**SPOV **

The day after I moved in with Ranger, I had another doctor's appointment. He cleared me for light work. I still couldn't do much physically, but I could do searches on the computer a few hours every day. The stalker had gone silent again, and there were no clues on the note to help point us in the right direction. I knew it frustrated Ranger, but I had agreed to have someone with me at all times. I knew the guys were surprised about this, but in all honesty, I was scared. Not of my stalker, I've had way too many of those. I was still terrified of Joe. I hadn't seen or heard from him since the incident, but it didn't seem to matter. I couldn't seem to get past the fear.

Since I could only work in the office, Ranger thought it was the perfect opportunity to teach me all about RangeMan. He kept me busy, but made sure I still got my rest. Hector and Manny had taken me on a few installs, and I was starting to get the hang of the equipment.

I had even gone to my first client meeting the day before, and it went surprisingly well. When the client was leaving, he pulled Ranger aside and asked if I could be his contact. He was an older man, and I think the Merry Men intimidated him a little. Ranger agreed without hesitation, which made me feel good. He had more faith in me than anyone ever has, except my Dad.

It was getting close to the day of the preliminary hearing, and I was getting nervous. I would have to face Joe for the first time, as well as everyone else that showed up. Ranger was hoping Joe would jump bail so he could go after him as an FTA, but I didn't think he would. If he were going to skip out, it would be before the actual trial. He wasn't going to be held after the preliminary hearing, so skipping would just make things difficult for him.

I had spoken with the D.A. a few times, and he assured me it was just a formality. Joe was entitled to a preliminary hearing, and he was hoping the charges would be dismissed due to lack of evidence. When the attorney first told me that, I almost had a meltdown. He then explained that if for some reason the hearing stated there wasn't enough evidence, he could still take the case to a grand jury. He seemed convinced there was enough physical and circumstantial evidence to convict Joe, and the preliminary hearing wouldn't change that. I guess I would just have to wait and see.

I thought I had been doing a good job handling all my problems. Between my family, the case against Joe, my latest stalker, and all the drama the 'Burg was creating, I was feeling stretched a little thin. However, every time I started to feel stressed, Ranger would appear out of nowhere. He would give me a hug, or maybe a kiss. He brought me flowers, and even sent Lula, Connie, and Mary Lou along with me to the spa the day before the hearing. I knew that without Ranger, I probably would have fallen apart long before now.

I had just gotten back from my spa day and put my keys in the dish by the door. I knew Ranger was here, because his utility belt was on the table with the dish. I was surprised he had left it there, because he normally took it straight to his safe.

"Ranger, you here?" I waited for a reply.

"Yeah, Babe, I'm in the living room."

I walked over to him and was about to wrap myself around him and thank him properly for giving me such a relaxing afternoon, when I noticed the look on his face.

"Ranger, what's wrong?" I figured my stalker had surfaced again, but I was wrong. Instead, he told me my worst fears were about to come true.

"I got the call for my last mission. I leave in three days," he told me, hiding behind his blank face.

Over the past few weeks, he had stopped showing me the blank face and actually let me see his emotions. I started to call him on it, but then I realized this was how he coped. He was just as upset as I was, so he reverted to what he knew. I didn't want to stress him any more than he already was, so I just straddled him on the couch, wrapped my arms around his neck, and held him.

I didn't want him to leave, but it was out of both our powers. He had warned me this might happen, and I had agreed to a relationship even though it was a possibility. I wasn't going to complain. Instead, I planned to spend the next three days showing Ranger how much I loved and supported him, and reassure him I would be waiting when he came back. He wrapped his arms around me, and it felt like he was holding on for dear life. My heart broke a little when I realized how hard this was for him. I decided to put my game face on and make sure the next three days weren't any harder on him than they had to be.

"I love you, Carlos."

"I love you, too, Babe."

"Do you know how long you'll be gone?" I asked.

"At least a month, possibly longer. I did have the General fax over documentation saying that after this mission, my contract was fulfilled."

"Good. You know what that means, don't you?" He raised his eyebrow at me. "It means that you'll belong entirely to Stephanie Michelle Plum, and the government won't have dibs on you anymore."

That got a laugh out of him. "So I will belong to you, huh? Does that mean you belong to me?"

Before, someone saying I belonged to them would have sent me straight into rhino mode, but the thought of belonging to Ranger made me feel all gooey inside.

"Yep, I belong to you, too."

I leaned down and kissed him, trying to pour all the love, understanding, and worry I was feeling for him into the kiss. I slowly pulled away and looked into his eyes.

"Thank you for trying to make this easier, Babe. I know that's what you're doing, and I appreciate it. I hated to have to tell you before the hearing, but I'm leaving the day after, and I wanted you to be aware of what is going on. My attorney will be here in the morning at seven, and I'll need you to be downstairs to sign some paperwork."

I looked at him questioningly.

"It's just a formality. Nothing important. We can leave right after we're done and go to the courthouse. I'll have a few guys follow us to the courthouse just as a precaution."

I started to argue, but realized I didn't want to spend one of the last nights before he left arguing about trivial things. I wanted to spend the night making love to him; unfortunately, the doctor had specifically forbidden me from having sex for at least another two weeks at my last office visit. I had no problem ignoring my doctor, but Ranger would never even consider it. After we'd held each other for a while, he stood up and set me on my feet.

"Are you ready for some dinner?" I asked

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll call Ella."

"No, why don't you go shower and put on some comfy clothes? I'll call Ella and order dinner."

He gave me a curt nod and headed towards the bathroom.

I called Ella and asked her to make Ranger's favorites. I could tell by her tone she knew he was leaving. I was about to hang up the phone when I heard her say my name.

"Stephanie, I know telling you not to worry is a waste of time. Worrying is what you do when someone you love is in danger. Just remember, he's the best at what he does, and for the first time ever, you have given him a reason to come home."

I thanked her and set the phone in its cradle. Her words had made me feel a little bit better, but I knew I wouldn't be okay again until Ranger was home for good.

The rest of the night went by slowly. We really didn't do anything but be there for each other. It was comforting and sad at the same time. After a while, I finally drifted to sleep, realizing just before falling asleep that I had forgotten all about the hearing I had to go to tomorrow.

I woke up to soft kisses trailing down my neck and shoulder, causing me to moan and snuggle back further against my heater. I felt something standing at attention and poking my back. It sent a bolt of electricity straight to my center. I wiggled my ass a little, and heard Carlos make a strangled moan.

"As much as I'd like to take this much much farther, you aren't cleared for that type of activity, and we need to get up and get ready. We have to meet my lawyer and get to the courthouse." I sighed but consented, and started crawling out of bed.

"I'll call Ella for breakfast. You shower first, Babe."

I mumbled something that was supposed to be an okay, but it came out all weird. Ranger wasn't surprised, since I never function at full capacity until after ten am and a lot of coffee.

I showered and then quickly got ready while Ranger was in the shower, because I wanted to get this over with. I was nervous, my stomach was queasy, and I was praying I wouldn't have to testify. I needed a little more time before I got up and told my story to a room full of strangers. Only the knowledge that Ranger would be there was keeping me from totally freaking out.

As soon as I realized that, I remembered that he was leaving tomorrow. Shit… I felt my chest tighten, and my breathing started becoming more rapid. I needed to hold it together. I sat down on the chair in the dressing room and tried to take long deep breaths like I'd seen Ranger do before. I was not going to lose it. Not in front of him. He had enough to worry about. He had to come back safe, and that's all I wanted him to focus on.

After a few minutes, I seemed to calm down. I heard Ranger turn off the shower, so I got up and quickly threw on an old suit from my lingerie buying days. It was conservative, at least for me, and I thought I still looked good. I went in and did my hair and makeup routine, adding about three extra swipes of mascara for courage, and I was good to go.

"Hey, Babe, are you about ready? Allen is downstairs waiting on us."

I looked at my watch and realized I was actually ready three minutes early. I smiled, then looked up at Ranger and about fell over. My God, that man is fine… He is way better than sex on a stick. I don't think words have been invented to describe that man's body. Yummy was all I had. I unconsciously licked my lips and saw his eyes darken. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

When I looked at him again, I noticed he was smirking. So I did what any 34 year old adult woman would do. I stuck my tongue out at him and walked out the door to the elevator without waiting for him. I could hear him chuckling at me. What? I can't help it, sometimes I feel like I never grew up.

He caught up with me in the elevator and used my hand to pull me towards him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hung on for dear life.

"I love you, Stephanie Michelle Plum. I know today is going to be hard for you, but I will be by your side the entire time. Whatever happens, I'm on your side. You know that, right?"

I felt my eyes tear up and nodded into his chest. I was trying to soak as much of his strength as I could, because I was going to need it to get through the next few days. The elevator doors opened on five, and I was greeted by an older man with salt and pepper hair. He was well built for his age. I imagined twenty years ago, he would have looked like all the other Merry Men around here. I shook my head at the thought.

"Babe, this is my attorney, Allen Higginbotham. Allen, this is Stephanie Plum."

He held out his hand and I shook it. "Ms. Plum, I've heard a great deal about you."

Of course he had…. Who hadn't?

"The funeral home wasn't my fault. It was my grandmother that shot the ammo in the basement." He looked a little startled by this information, so I guess he didn't have all the details.

Ranger was just grinning. "Babe, he has some paperwork you need to sign. He is also going to go down to the courthouse with us."

I looked a little nervously at Ranger. _Why would I need an attorney? Had I done something wrong? Or even worse, was Ranger in trouble for saving me? _

"Babe, he's not going as your attorney. Of course you did nothing wrong, and I'm not in any trouble. I want him there so I completely understand everything that is going on. I want to make sure there is no chance that Joe will get away with this. Having him there is just for my peace of mind. Okay?" I looked in his eyes and saw nothing but love and sincerity, so I relaxed.

"Okay. So what papers could you possibly want me to sign?" I was actually really curious now.

"Let's head into Carlos' office. I have everything ready to be signed so that we can be on our way." He gestured for us to follow him into the office.

I started to sit down in on of the guest chairs, but he stopped me. "If you don't mind, could you sit in Carlos' chair please? I set everything up on that side."

I shrugged my shoulders. Whatever. I sat down in the chair and looked up at Ranger and Allen. Ranger looked worried, and Allen, well, Allen just looked like a lawyer.

He pointed to the first sheet in front of me. "You'll need to sign here and here," he said, pointing at lines I was suppose to sign.

_Okay, what is going on…? _

"Is someone going to tell me what I'm signing?" I gave both of them my best 'Burg glare. As usual, it had no effect on Ranger, but Allen looked chastised. He even started stuttering.

"Umm, well, yes, umm, this is... Ummm..."

I took pity on him, wondering how good of a lawyer he could be if he was flustered by my 'Burg glare.

"Ranger, why don't you tell me what this is all about." Something was up, and I was going to find out what it was.

Ranger sighed and sat pulled a chair beside me. "Okay, we don't have a lot of time, so I'm going to give you a quick overview. These two papers make you my medical proxy, allowing you to make medical decisions for me if I am not able. I am also giving you my power of attorney, in case something should happen to me. You will be able to make decisions if I'm incapacitated. I have a living will, so that will cover those kinds of decisions. I also have made you the beneficiary of my will. There is a trust put aside for Julie, and a few things for Tank, Les, and Bobby, but the rest will go to you in the event something happens."

I had already started hyperventilating halfway through the explanation, and by the end, I had to put my head between my legs to keep the black dots at bay. This was just a little more than I could take today.

"Push against my hand, Babe. You're okay," Ranger told me. He waited until I sat back up to continue talking.

"Babe, I know today, of all days, is the wrong time to have you do this, but I leave tomorrow. I don't think anything will happen, but you know me, I am always prepared. I won't go into this mission any other way. I know I can trust you to make any decision for me that I can't make for myself, and I need to know you are taken care of in the event of my death. This isn't just because of the mission, Babe. I would have made these changes, mission or no mission. I love you and need you to know that no matter what happens, I will always be looking out for you. Can you do this for me, Babe? Please?" he asked.

I knew as soon as he said please, I wouldn't deny him. I think he knew that, too, but that was something we'd have to discuss at a later date. I looked back and forth between Allen and Ranger for a few seconds, and finally agreed.

"Fine. Show me where to sign so I don't have to think about it anymore." I signed all the places Allen showed me, then turned to face Ranger.

"I want you to know that just because I have agreed to sign this does not let you off the hook. You _will_ be coming back after this mission, because you promised me a someday, and I want my someday, mister. Are we clear?" I told him as I poked my finger into his chest.

He smiled, wrapped his arms around me, and hugged me tightly. "Crystal, Babe! Now let's get to the courthouse."

**TBC...**

**Connie thanks for keeping me sane and for the wonderful suggestions. Jenny thanks for all your hard work, you are awesome!**


	18. Chapter 18

FADE TO BLACK

Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.

WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.

Previously:

_I had already started hyperventilating halfway through the explanation, and by the end, I had to put my head between my legs to keep the black dots at bay. This was just a little more than I could take today._

_"Push against my hand, Babe. You're okay," Ranger told me. He waited until I sat back up to continue talking. _

"_Babe, I know today, of all days, is the wrong time to have you do this, but I leave tomorrow. I don't think anything will happen, but you know me, I am always prepared. I won't go into this mission any other way. I know I can trust you to make any decision for me that I can't make for myself, and I need to know you are taken care of in the event of my death. This isn't just because of the mission, Babe. I would have made these changes, mission or no mission. I love you and need you to know that no matter what happens, I will always be looking out for you. Can you do this for me, Babe? Please?" he asked. _

_I knew as soon as he said please, I wouldn't deny him. I think he knew that, too, but that was something we'd have to discuss at a later date. I looked back and forth between Allen and Ranger for a few seconds, and finally agreed._

_"Fine. Show me where to sign so I don't have to think about it anymore." I signed all the places Allen showed me, then turned to face Ranger. _

"_I want you to know that just because I have agreed to sign this does not let you off the hook. You will be coming back after this mission, because you promised me a someday, and I want my someday, mister. Are we clear?" I told him as I poked my finger into his chest. _

_He smiled, wrapped his arms around me, and hugged me tightly. "Crystal, Babe! Now let's get to the courthouse."_

Disclaimer:There is a good deal of information in this chapter about the prelim trial. I want to make you aware that I know nothing about the law and I tried to do the best I could using google. I quickly learned that google can only help so much if you can't understand the jargain it's written in. Law speak isn't for me evidently. I apologize before hand if I'm way off

Chapter 18

SPOV

We headed downtown, with Allen following in his car and a contingent of Merry Men in another truck. The closer we got, the more the butterflies in my stomach started to flutter around. By the time we hit the parking garage at the courthouse, I was positive I had a gaggle of geese in my stomach, rather than simply butterflies. I kept taking slow, deep breaths, and looked around the garage. I noticed there seemed to be a lot of cars, but I didn't know if that was normal or not. I didn't think much about it, continuing to focus on my breathing instead.

Ranger found a perfect parking place, as usual, and we headed inside, followed by Tank, Bobby, Lester, and Hal. I thought that it was overkill, but I was glad for the support. Ranger kept his hand on the small of my back the entire time, and I kept my focus on the warm feeling it gave me. As we got on the elevator to go to the third floor, I leaned back into Ranger. I knew he'd taken the elevator for my benefit, and I appreciated it. My legs were starting to get shaky as we ascended, but even as nervous as I was, I wasn't prepared for what I saw when the doors opened to the floor our courtroom was on.

The only word I could use to describe it was pandemonium. I think Ranger, Mr. I-always-prepare-for-everything, was even shocked. There were between fifty and a hundred people in the hallway in front of our courtroom. If that wasn't enough, there were cameramen, reporters, and photographers. Great, another one of the Bombshell Bounty Hunter's escapades caught on tape.

I looked around, hoping that Britney Spears was in town or something, but was resigned when I didn't see her. As soon as I stepped off the elevator, I was blinded. There were flashing lights as reporters shoved recorders and microphones in my face and shouted questions at me. For the love of God, this was only a preliminary hearing. Why were they acting like it was the Scott Peterson trial?

While I stood there in stunned disbelief, Ranger and the guys recovered and quickly took charge. They pushed our way through to the courtroom and closed the door to all the reporters. I almost let out a sigh of relief, until I saw that half of the 'Burg was in attendance. My entire family was there in the courtroom, but they were each sitting on different sides.

Mom and Valerie were sitting with the Morellis. When my mother saw me, she began to cross herself repeatedly. My dad, Grandma Mazur, Mary Lou, Connie, and Lula were on the other side of the aisle. There was an empty row in front, being held by Ram and Vince. Ranger softly nudged me forward, and I realized Allen was standing beside me, looking around in awe. Ranger motioned for Allen and me sit to in the row the Merry Men had been holding.

Before I had time to blink, Tank, Bobby, Lester, Hal, Ram, and Vince sat down on either side of Ranger and me. I still hadn't said a word. I honestly didn't know _what_ to say. I looked around again, noticed that Mooner and Dougie were there, _and_ they looked surprisingly sober. They gave me a thumbs up sign, and I smiled at them. I saw Sally Sweet, too. I couldn't see his entire outfit, but he had his hair teased high, large hoop earrings in his ears, and his makeup was flawless. To top off his ensemble, his t-shirt said Team Plum. I saw a few of my other regular skips, and waved at them.

As I looked around, there were other faces that were familiar, but I didn't really know them personally. It took me a while to realize a lot of them were wearing Team Plum or Team Morelli shirts. I almost laughed... I mean, seriously, this isn't a battle between the hottest vampire and the hottest werewolf. Secretly, I'm all about Edward-what can I say, I love dark, brooding men-but that isn't all that important right now. This was my life, no matter how screwed up it was. I couldn't understand why people were treating it this way.

Would it always be like this? Would my life will always be entertainment for others? I felt Ranger grab my hand and squeeze. That was all it took, and I started to feel better. Ranger was my lifeline and my center. I just needed to feel his touch, and it would right my world when it was out of tilt.

"Is there any way to get these people out of here?" I heard Ranger ask Allen. Allen looked around and shook his head.

"Unfortunately there isn't, unless the judge clears the room. Hearings are open to the public, so unless they cause a scene and the judge throws them out, there isn't anything we can do. I've never seen anything like this, especially at a prelim," he told Ranger.

"Welcome to my life! But there is a bright side..." They both looked at me questioningly. "I have no doubt this room will end up being cleared, because there is no way the people in this room can go more than thirty minutes without causing a scene," I told them before I turned and looked at my support group behind me.

"Thanks for coming, guys," I told them all.

"Girlfriend, we wouldn't miss this. I'm hoping to get the opportunity to use my new stun gun," Lula said. I heard Tank chuckle, and Allen's eyes about popped out of his head.

"I don't think you're supposed to have a stun gun in the courtroom. Didn't they search you?" Allen asked.

I was starting to think Allen would _not_ have been a Merry Man twenty years ago. He was way too by the book to handle watching Tank throwing a junkie out a third story window.

"Of course they did. That's why I got this new stun gun that looks like a cell phone. See, ain't it bitchin'?" She was waving it back and forth, letting everyone get a good look. I turned to look at it just as she accidentally made contact with the back of Hal's neck.

I heard a ZZZZZT and watched Hal slump forward. At first, we were all too shocked to do anything. Poor Hal.

"Well, will you look at that! That tiny little thing _does_ work. I'm gonna have to get me one of those. My latest stud muffin likes to run from me, but I bet I could catch him with that. He'd never see it coming," Grandma said, cackling gleefully.

That was it… As soon as she said it, we all burst into laughter. Even Ranger was laughing out loud. I heard my dad muttering "Crazy old bat," and "Needs to be locked in a padded room."

When we'd all finally gotten control of ourselves, I looked to the other side of the courtroom and realized everyone was looking at us with clear disdain. That snapped me back to reality, and my happy buzz was quickly gone.

Two minutes later, I felt like the air had been sucked from the room as I watched Joe walk into the courtroom. This was the first time I'd seen him since '_The Incident'_, and I couldn't help but think about what had happened. Mooch and Anthony were with him, and they were all laughing and having a good time. You would never know that Joe was here being charged with attempted murder and attempted rape.

He had on a suit and most definitely looked like a sleazy pit boss. The entire crowd went silent and watched as he walked to the defense table. He stopped before he sat down and turned around, looking for something. When his eyes found me, a smile slowly spread across his face. I felt chills going down my spine, and not the good kind. The look on his face was malevolent. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of looking away first, so I continued to stare him down. I had felt Ranger tense as soon as Joe walked in, and now he was squeezing my hand so hard it almost hurt.

Joe finally turned away and went to sit at the defense table. I focused on Ranger's hand in mine and tried to ignore all the whispers and looks that were aimed in my direction. I felt someone touch my shoulder and looked back to see my dad leaning towards me.

"Don't worry, Pumpkin. This will all be over soon. I've spoken to a few of my contacts, and they assure me this is just a formality."

I nodded, wondering what my dad was talking about. Exactly what kind of contacts did a retired mailman have? I was even more baffled when this comment seemed to cause Ranger to relax. I knew I had to be missing something. I didn't have much time to consider that before my Grandmother added her two cents.

"Don't worry. I still got Elsie out in the car. She'll gladly take care of him."

I tried not to laugh, because I didn't want to encourage her, but the situation just seemed so insane I couldn't hold the giggle in. Ranger looked at me and raised his eyebrow, but I also noticed the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Don't worry, Babe; I'll help her hide the body if she does," he whispered. I just rolled my eyes.

The D.A. came in the courtroom next and walked over to talk to Ranger and me. His name was Jack Dewey, and Ranger assured me he had an excellent conviction rate.

"Mr. Manoso, I will definately have you testify today, but I see no reason to call Ms. Plum to the stand. I'm positive we have enough evidence for burden of proof without having to call her. Do either of you have any questions before the trial starts?" he asked.

"No, I'm good. I'm just relieved I don't have to testify today. I'm not sure I'm ready to tell the world what happened yet." I told him.

He nodded his understanding and shook Ranger's hand before going to sit at the prosecuter's table. He had explained earlier that because of victims' rights laws, it would be very hard for the defense to compel me to speak to them before the trial; if I didn't testify at the preliminary hearing, I wouldn't have to face them until the actual trial. Facing them one time was enough for me, so I was extremely relieved I wouldn't have to today.

Before long, the judge came in and the proceedings started. To be honest, I didn't listen much. I was trying to think of something nice I could do for Ranger before he left. I noticed him tense a few times, but he relaxed immediately after, so I figured it couldn't be that bad. Finally, he was called to the stand. I couldn't decide if I wanted to hear what he said, or block it out.

I decided I needed to know what Ranger had seen when he walked in, so I focused on him. I listened to him describe in detail everything that happened. His jaw was clenched the entire time. The defense attorney cross examined him and tried everything he could to upset Ranger or make him change his story, but Ranger was his calm, collected self, with his blank face firmly in place. He finally resorted to attacking his credibility because of our relationship, but when that didn't work, the attorney finally wrapped the questioning and let him off the stand.

As soon as Ranger sat down, he reached for my hand. I hadn't realized that I had my fists bawled up during the questioning until Ranger started to rub them, trying to get me to relax. I turned to look at him, and I could see the strain in his eyes. It made me realize that reliving what he had seen was just as hard for him as it was for me.

After Ranger finished, the cops that were on the scene were called to testify. I went back to blocking it all out. I did notice that Eddie and Carl were on the stand for a long time, but I didn't really care. I knew the D.A. planned to submit all the physical evidence today, too. After a few hours, the judge finally called the proceedings to a close, declaring that there was indeed enough evidence to take the case to trial.

As soon as his gavel hit the block, I heard my mother's voice. "Do you see what you are doing? You are ruining a perfectly respectable man's life. I know you let all of his thugs share you." She pointed at Ranger, and the entire court room gasped.

"You are the town whore, and everyone knows it. You deserved everything that happened to you after the way you treated that poor man. The fact that he is going to trial rather than that murderer sitting beside you is a travesty of justice." I noticed Val was beside her, agreeing with everything she said.

The whole court had dropped to silence; even the judge was listening to my mother berate me. I had known him my whole life, because he lived four houses down from ours, so I'm sure he wanted to hear the gossip, too. I was frozen in place. Everyone was staring at me, waiting for a reaction, but I didn't have one. I was completely stunned by her accusations. Even after all she had already said to me, I was shocked she could hate me that much. I looked to Ranger and saw that he was fuming.

My father started to get up and say something, but before he got anything out, my grandmother jumped in. "Just who the hell do you think you are, Helen Roberta Plum? You want to talk about a slut… I believe it was _you_ that was pregnant before you graduated from high school. You're lucky Frank Plum was such an upstanding young man. Most men who return from an eleven month tour of duty to find their fiancé two months pregnant would have dropped you like a hot potato. He stood by you, married you, has raised Valerie as his own child, and has never once thrown it in your face."

My mother turned white. The entire crowd gasped, and Val looked stunned. I couldn't really blame them; I don't think I could have been more shocked if someone told me Lester was joining a monastary.

"I believe it was _you_ that gave up your dreams of going to nursing school so you could start a family because _you_ couldn't keep your legs shut. I let you make your own choices, because they were your choices to make. I didn't always agree with them, but you were my daughter, and I loved you no matter what. That's what a good mother does. She supports her daughter, even if she doesn't agree with her, and she's there to help her stand back up if she falls. You've never done any of that for Stephanie. Not once in her life have you given her any support.

"Let me make something perfectly clear to you. I may love you, but I sure as hell don't like you. Your attitude and treatment of your youngest daughter is downright reprehensible."

Grandma was on a roll; the more she yelled, the closer she walked towards my mom. She was shaking her finger at her like only a mom could.

"You have the nerve to tell Stephanie you are ashamed of her. If anyone should be ashamed, it's me. The fact that I raised such a miserable human being is what's humiliating. You're just jealous Stephanie has the guts to follow her dreams when you didn't. You are a jealous, bitter, petty old woman, and you mark my words, you will die alone and unloved unless you change your ways.

"How a mother can tell her own daughter that she deserves to be raped and beaten is beyond me. No woman deserves to be raped or beaten, no matter who she is or what she's done. Your daughter has done nothing to warrant your treatment of her. You have the nerve to call your daughter a slut. That is absolutely absurd, and you know it. She has some of the highest morals of anyone I know, and so does that fine bounty hunter with the nice package," she told my mom.

You could have heard a pin drop, the courtroom was so silent. I hadn't moved a muscle. I was absolutely shocked by the things I was learning about my mother, and by the look on Val's face, she was, too. I wondered if she even knew that she wasn't Frank Plum's biological daughter.

"You worry so much about the 'Burg and what it thinks. Look around you, Helen. Every person on this side of the courtroom thinks the world of your daughter." She gestured to where my friends were sitting.

"The only people on Morelli's side are busybodies who just want to have the juiciest gossip first. Other than his family, not one person sitting over there is actually a friend of that Morelli boy. They're just sitting over there because there wasn't enough room on the side that is firmly behind your daughter.

"Twenty years from now, the only thing anyone will remember about you is what a truly horrible mother you were. But fifty years from now, people will still remember your daughter for the things she's done. Not for the explosions or the dead bodies she's found, but because she has a heart that touches everyone. She makes everyone around her feel special. She is an angel walking among us, but you're just too blind and jealous to see it."

By this time, she was standing toe to toe with my mother, pointing her finger in her chest. My mother just stared at her in shock.

"You make me sick. The fact that I raised someone like you disgusts me. I want nothing more to do with you. You are dead to me."

As soon as the words left her mouth, I heard my mom squeak, then fall to the ground. At first I thought she had fainted, but then I noticed my grandmother holding Lula's new stun gun in her hand and looking extremely pleased with herself.

"Oh, I gotta get me one of these nifty buggers," she said while her teeth clattered around her mouth.

The shock didn't last long. Right after my mom hit the floor, all hell broke loose in the courtroom.

I looked around at the chaos in front of me in facinated horror. The judge was pounding his gavel, demanding order, but no one was listening. People were yelling at each other, and Val was trying to get my mother off the floor before she got trampled in the melee. Ranger and the guys were trying to keep fists from being thrown, so I was left alone in the front row, just taking in the scene. While I waited for Ranger to come back, I felt someone grab my arm.

I turned around, and found myself looking right into the face of Joe Morelli.

"Cupcake, you always were a lot of fun," he sneered at me.

"Joe, let go of me!" I tried to pull away, but he held tight. I was looking for a bailiff, or anyone who could help me, but everyone was lost in the mayhem.

"You remember what I said. _No one_ else will want you when I'm done with you. I will finish what I started, and next time Manoso won't be there to stop me, Cupcake. You're mine, and I have every right to do whatever I want to you."

That's when I heard the most wonderful voice in the world.

"_Let_. _Her_. _Go_. _Morelli_," Ranger demanded as his hand clamped down on the arm Morelli was holding me with.

I turned towards him, and was caught off guard by the look on his face. I had seen Ranger angry, but I had never seen anything like this. This wasn't Ranger; this was who brought Ranger back from all his missions alive. This was who he always tried to hide from me.

What surprised me the most was that he didn't scare me. I knew in my heart he would never focus that rage at me. Joe must have seen what I did, because he dropped my arm like he'd been burned. As soon as he let go, Ranger pushed me behind him.

"You want to make promises? I promise you, if you ever touch her again, no one will find your body."

Joe must have seen the truth in his words, because he stumbled back from us. Ranger grabbed my hand and started to weave his way through the crowd. Most of the arguing had stopped, and the judge was ordering everyone out of the room.

I walked outside and saw my Dad standing near the door. I walked over to him, and he was actually grinning. He pulled me into a small room adjacent to the courtroom and shut the door before giving me a big hug.

"Are you okay, Dad?" I asked when we stepped apart.

He smiled even bigger. "I think that was the first time in forty years I've wanted to hug Edna Mazur," he told me, laughing.

I smiled, took a deep breath, and exhaled, trying to relax.

"I'm more concerned about you," he said quietly.

"I'm as okay as I can be. Is it true? Is Valerie not your daughter?"

He just sighed and sat down in a nearby chair. "No, I am not Val's biological father, but it doesn't matter. Valerie has been my daughter in every way that matters since she was born. I wish she hadn't found out this way, but maybe learning her mother isn't the saint she thought she was will be enough to jar her to her senses before she becomes exactly like her."

"I guess it explains why she and I are polar opposites."

My dad laughed. "Yeah, you most definitely are."

"I don't understand why Mom hates me, Daddy."

"Oh, Pumpkin, there is nothing wrong with you. I'm starting to think your mother needs more than just counseling. Maybe she needs to be committed. I don't know, but whatever it is, it has nothing to do with you. You're perfect," he said as he gave me a hug.

"I couldn't agree more, Babe. You are perfect."

Ranger was smiling at my Dad and me. This brought a smile to my face. The two most important men in my life both thought I was perfect. What more did I need… Nothing, really, but a couple of Boston Crème donuts would be nice, or maybe a meatball sub.

Ranger and Dad both started laughing. I had evidently said that out loud. I really needed to stop that. I just rolled my eyes at them.

"I hear you're leaving tomorrow, Ranger?" my dad said.

I was surprised. Even Ranger looked a little surprised. "I didn't realize you'd spoken to Steph since I told her."

"I haven't spoken to Stephanie. Jaguar told me."

Both of Ranger's eyebrows shot up, and his mouth actually dropped open slightly. For a man who doesn't show his emotions, it was the equivalent of his jaw dropping to the ground and then passing out in shock.

"Jaguar and I go way back. Back to a time when everyone called me Blackie a shortened version of my call name Black Falcon."

I had no clue what my dad was talking about, but evidently Ranger did.

"You're Black Falcon, Sir?" Ranger's voice had a certain amount of awe I hadn't imagined him capable of.

"Who's Black Falcon, Daddy?" I was tired of being left out of the loop.

"That was my nickname years ago. Only a few of my oldest friends still call me that." He waved it off like it was nothing.

I was starting to think there was a lot more to my father than the retired postman he portrayed. I intended to find out just what that was, but not today.

"I had hoped you and Stephanie would take some time to get away from here." He looked at Ranger.

"Ranger offered, but I didn't want to go anywhere, Dad." I was getting a little annoyed that he was talking like I wasn't there.

He just smiled. "Ahhh, that explains it. No one tells my baby girl what to do."

He walked over to the door and looked outside. "Well, it looks like it's died down as much as it's going to. Why don't we get out of here? I'm sure you two would like some alone time before you ship out."

He headed out into the hallway with the two of us following him. We made it back to the car without any major incidents. Of course, we had an army of Merry Men running interference for us, so that helped a little.

On the way home, I checked my messages. Only Mary Lou and Lula had called. I loved that I only had a few voicemails. Ranger had given me a new cell phone, and I only gave out the number to Lula, Connie, Merry Lou, Grandma, my Dad, and the Merry Men. He left my old one on, though, so no one would realize I'd changed my number. I imagined after today that one had probably gone up in flames. I smiled at the thought, and drifted to sleep as Ranger drove us home.

TBC...

Connie thanks for the brilliant idea about Helen and Valerie. Jenny thanks for making my story flow in a way I never could.


	19. Chapter 19

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****:**** This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly.**** If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story.**** I'm a total Babe and it shows.**** It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too.**** There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

"_Who's Black Falcon, Daddy?" I was tired of being left out of the loop. _

"_That was my nickname years ago. Only a few of my oldest friends still call me that." He waved it off like it was nothing._

_I was starting to think there was a lot more to my father than the retired postman he portrayed. I intended to find out just what that was, but not today. _

"_I had hoped you and Stephanie would take some time to get away from here." He looked at Ranger. _

"_Ranger offered, but I didn't want to go anywhere, Dad." I was getting a little annoyed that he was talking like I wasn't there._

_He just smiled. "Ahhh, that explains it. No one tells my baby girl what to do."_

_He walked over to the door and looked outside. "Well, it looks like it's died down as much as it's going to. Why don't we get out of here? I'm sure you two would like some alone time before you ship out."_

_He headed out into the hallway with the two of us following him. We made it back to the car without any major incidents. Of course, we had an army of Merry Men running interference for us, so that helped a little. _

_On the way home, I checked my messages. Only Mary Lou and Lula had called. I loved that I only had a few voicemails. Ranger had given me a new cell phone, and I only gave out the number to Lula, Connie, Merry Lou, Grandma, my Dad, and the Merry Men. He left my old one on, though, so no one would realize I'd changed my number. I imagined after today that one had probably gone up in flames. I smiled at the thought, and drifted to sleep as Ranger drove us home._

**CHAPTER 19**

**RPOV **

After I pulled into my parking space in the garage, I just watched Steph sleep for a few minutes. It had been a hard day, and she still wasn't entirely recovered. I wanted to remember everything about her while I was gone, so I sat there soaking up her scent and beauty. I finally leaned across the car and started kissing her neck. I knew she loved to be woken like this, and to be honest, I loved it as well. I could tell she was still groggy, but she was looking at me with such love, it took my breath away.

"So, Batman, how would you like to spend your evening?"

I gave her my wolf grin. She smiled back at me and called my bluff.

"Hey, that's exactly how I'd like to spend it, too." She wiggled her eyes at me.

I sighed. "Well, unfortunately, that can't happen, so how about we just spend the evening on seven alone?"

She agreed, and got out of the car. She waited for me to reach her, and then grabbed my hand as we walked towards the elevator. I knew it was ridiculous, but the fact that she'd initiated the contact made my heart speed up. Yeah, I was turning into a sap. I just couldn't seem to help myself.

I held her in my arms for the trip up to seven. I didn't want to let go. Today was rough for both of us, but we were together, and that made it easier. Tomorrow would be hell. I'd never had to walk away from someone I loved before; at least, not like this. I have gone on many missions, but this time was different. For the first time, I knew someone was waiting for me to come home. I would do everything in my power to come back to her, but I was realistic enough to know that it might not be enough. She was every dream I'd ever had come true, and I didn't want to lose it after such a short time.

I felt horrible leaving her while she was going through all the drama with her family and the 'Burg. I would definitely have to talk to Tank on the way to the airport tomorrow, about making sure she was okay. I knew I didn't have to actually make it an order, because my core team loved her, actually _all_ my men loved her, but I would do it anyway.

We got off the elevator, and I let us inside. I took my jacket off and went to the safe to put my guns away.

"Carlos why don't you go take a shower and relax. I'll call Ella and order us some dinner."

I started to protest because she had a really rough day and she needed to relax more than I did.

"Please, Carlos, let me take care of you. I really can't do anything else right now, so please let me do this for you."

She was pulling out the big guns. She had used my name and the word please twice, so of course, I agreed. I went into the bathroom, climbed in the shower, and let the hot water pour over me.

I was lost in thought, letting the hot water work out the kinks in my neck, and was surprised when I heard the shower stall open. I looked up and saw the most beautiful sight in the world. My Babe was completely naked and smiling at me as she stepped inside.

"You know I'm really good in the shower," she told me with a sexy smile.

"I have no doubt that you are, but I'm not going to find out tonight."

It was like a cruel joke that she hadn't been cleared for certain activities. Especially since she probably _would_ be at her next doctor's visit. I wouldn't take that chance, though. She meant too much to me to risk her well-being for a little physical pleasure. Okay, it would be A LOT of physical pleasure, but still...

She picked up the shampoo and poured some into her hand, and she motioned for me to back under the water.

"Steph, we can't…"

She placed her finger on my lips. "Shhhh, just let me take care of you."

I was already past the point of denying her anything, so I backed my head under the spray. She had me turn around, and started massaging the shampoo into my hair. She started out rubbing deep circles across my head, and then used her fingernails to lightly scrape across my scalp. She began alternating between the two, and by the time she pushed my head back under the spray, I had goose bumps all over my body, and I was hard as a rock. Talk about exquisite torture.

After she rinsed all the shampoo out of my hair, she picked up the loofah and poured some of my Bulgari body wash onto it. I knew she loved the smell of this soap; it was the reason I had Ella continue to buy it for me all the time. I also knew she would occasionally steal it from me. I'd never said anything, because nothing turned me on more than when I would run into her and smell my scent on her.

Steph had me turn around, then started rubbing the loofah down my back. She was massaging my shoulders as she explored. She started trailing kisses from the base of my neck, down my shoulder. Once she finished with one shoulder, she focused her attention on the other one, before I felt her kissing down my spine, making a trail behind the loofah. I was throbbing so hard, I reached down to stroke it involuntarily.

"Ah ah ah, I said I was going to take care of you. Don't you trust me?" she asked in an innocent voice while she sucked on my neck.

"You know I do," I replied, enjoying the feel of her tongue on me.

"Well then, be patient."

And she spent the next 10 minutes proving how much patience really can pay off.

Complete spent, my brain finally started functioning while I looked at her face and the beautiful smile she was showing me, and remembered why we weren't suppose to have sex. Fuck, how could I have forgotten that?

"Steph!"

She put her finger on my lips. "I didn't really have sex, Carlos. I'm fine, so don't ruin this by stressing out over nothing. I wanted this as much as, if not more than, you did. Now, let's get cleaned up and enjoy the rest of our evening."

I decided she was right. I didn't want to ruin the rest of the evening, but I was still kicking myself for allowing it to happen. It's just further evidence that she has all the power in our relationship, because she's the only person that's ever been able to make me forget everything around me.

God, I loved this woman.

**SPOV**

We finished showering, got dressed, and went out to eat our dinner. Ella had gone all out, setting the dining room up with candles everywhere. The table was full of different Cuban foods I knew Ranger loved. We uncovered all the dishes and dug in.

I had found out from Ella that there is actually a dessert Ranger likes. Evidently the temple is occasionally decimated by something called caramel flan. I'd never had it, but I was positive I would love it. I mean, it was a dessert... what wasn't to love? I had made Ranger leave the cover over it, because I wanted to surprise him.

After we had stuffed ourselves with the wonderful Cuban cuisine, I finally uncovered the last plate. I saw a slow smile spread across Ranger's face.

"I see someone has been telling tales," he said.

"Yes, imagine my surprise when I found out there was something you couldn't resist ruining the temple with."

That got me a wolf grin. "Oh, there is one other thing I love to ruin the temple with," he murmured.

I felt the blush start up my face and decided to just ignore it. I picked up a spoon, dipped it into the delicious concoction, and reached over to feed it to Ranger. He opened his mouth readily and took a bite. We spent the next twenty minutes feeding each other and just enjoying being together. The rest of the night, we talked and laughed, but mostly we forgot about what tomorrow would bring.

While I was ignoring all that was going on in the courtroom today, I had decided I wanted to give Ranger something of mine to take with him. I had found it in my jewelry case this morning when I was getting ready. I was actually surprised to find it, because I thought I was wearing it when 'the incident' occurred. I hadn't seen it since then, so until this morning, I'd thought it was gone. I knew it would be the perfect going away gift.

Ranger had to leave at four a.m., so I wanted him to get to bed early. Around nine, I decided we should go to bed, but before I got in, I went to my jewelry box and got out my dog tag. I walked over and sat on the bed beside Ranger, then handed it to him.

"I know you can't actually wear it, because it would be too loud, but I wanted you to take something with you to remind you that you had someone at home waiting for you. It's the dog tag I had made at the beach." He took it from me and smiled. I turned it over for him and showed him the 'Babe' engraving.

"When I had this made, I was convinced that you and I would never be more than friends, because you had told me you didn't do relationships and your love didn't come with a ring. I knew I didn't need the ring, but I needed more than casual, so I decided to have the necklace made so I could always keep you close to my heart."

He kept running his fingers over the engraving. He didn't say anything, but got up and went into his dressing room. I was a little perplexed, but I decided to just wait and see what he was up to.

He came back out, carrying something, and I noticed he had put my dog tag on.

"These aren't as nice as yours, but I want you to still have something of mine close to your heart." He handed me a pair of his military dog tags.

"Don't you need these?"

He just smiled. "Babe, I have three other pairs of them. These are the oldest, from when I first enlisted. I know they aren't dressy, but I want you to know I'm going to come home to you, no matter what," he told me as I put them on.

He pulled me towards him and kissed me. "I love you, Babe."

"I love you, too, Carlos."

We got under the covers and wrapped ourselves around each other. I was trying to memorize every part of his touch. I knew when I woke in the morning, he would be gone. He had asked me not to get up when he left, because he wanted to remember me sleeping in our bed. I had only agreed because I knew if I was awake, I would cry, and I didn't want him to leave feeling guilty. After a while, I finally drifted to sleep. My last conscious thought was a prayer to bring him back to me alive and well.

**TBC...**

**Jenny thanks so much for your hard work. I can't explain how much I appreciate the fact that one of my favorite Fanfic authors is helping me. Connie you're brilliant. One of these days you're going to have to write you're own story.**


	20. Chapter 20

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE.**** Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two.**** I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****:**** This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly.**** If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story.**** I'm a total Babe and it shows.**** It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too.**** There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_He kept running his fingers over the engraving. He didn't say anything, but got up and went into his dressing room. I was a little perplexed, but I decided to just wait and see what he was up to._

_He came back out, carrying something, and I noticed he had put my dog tag on._

_"These aren't as nice as yours, but I want you to still have something of mine close to your heart." He handed me a pair of his military dog tags._

_"Don't you need these?"_

_He just smiled. "Babe, I have three other pairs of them. These are the oldest, from when I first enlisted. I know they aren't dressy, but I want you to know I'm going to come home to you, no matter what," he told me as I put them on. _

_He pulled me towards him and kissed me. "I love you, Babe."_

"_I love you, too, Carlos."_

_We got under the covers and wrapped ourselves around each other. I was trying to memorize every part of his touch. I knew when I woke in the morning, he would be gone. He had asked me not to get up when he left, because he wanted to remember me sleeping in our bed. I had only agreed because I knew if I was awake, I would cry, and I didn't want him to leave feeling guilty. After a while, I finally drifted to sleep. My last conscious thought was a prayer to bring him back to me alive and well._

**CHAPTER 20**

**RPOV**

I woke at three a.m. the next morning and began getting ready. I had already packed everything I needed the day before, so I just needed to shower and get dressed. I gave myself an extra thirty minutes, because I wanted to watch my Babe sleep. Watching her sleep had always given me a sense of peace, but it didn't this time. This time it just made the hurt I was already feeling worse, because I knew I was leaving this amazing woman alone in my bed.

She had surprised me last night when she gave me her dog tag and told me why she had done it. I hadn't realized how she had taken some of my words to heart until recently. I couldn't blame her for it, though. I'd been an idiot, and too stubborn to see the amazing opportunity I had before me. Now that I had come to my senses, I prayed for the first time that I would come back from this mission in one piece.

A little before four, I leaned down and kissed her one last time. I didn't worry about waking her, because I knew she always slept like the dead. After I kissed her, I picked up my bags and headed to the garage to meet Tank. I rode down the elevator, trying to center myself and find my focus, but the problem was I was leaving my focus back in my bed. I shook my head as I stepped off the elevator and headed towards Tank's Hummer. He was already waiting inside like I knew he would be. I opened the passenger door and climbed inside after throwing my gear in the back.

"You ready for this?" Tank asked.

I just stared at him, wondering what the hell he was talking about. He looked at me, and then started the truck.

"Rangeman, you normally come down here and are already so focused on the mission, you barely notice me. I can tell your head isn't in this, and I understand why, but you have to focus if you want to come back to her."

I listened to everything he was saying, and wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, because I was fine, but I couldn't. He was right. I _was_ distracted, and being distracted could get me killed.

"I know, man. It's just a little harder this time. I think now that I'm not in the same room as her, I will be able to pull myself together."

He just nodded his understanding.

"I know it goes without saying, but keep her safe, Tank. I need to know she'll be here when I come back. She has so much shit going on right now, and I feel like a complete ass leaving her to deal with it alone," I told him.

"She's not alone, Ranger. Every single man that works for you would take a bullet for her. She has Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, and her father and grandmother to help her through all this, too. We will keep her safe. That's one thing you never have to worry about. We will keep her safe, so you need to focus on keeping yourself safe," he reassured me.

We lapsed into silence until we were almost at the airport. "I know the stalker has been silent for a while, but watch out for him. I don't know why, but I still think Morelli has something to do with it. I know we have men on him, but maybe we're missing something. After the way he threatened her at the prelim yesterday, I just can't help but think he's up to something."

Thinking about the prelim, I remembered how Steph had reacted when she saw the darkness inside of me. I never wanted her to see that side of me, but when I saw Morelli with his hands on her, I couldn't seem to control it. I was floored that Steph didn't even flinch when she saw me. I guess I really have found someone that loves me, darkness and all. I was brought out of my thoughts when Tank spoke up.

"Don't worry, Ric. I promise we've got her. Now get your ass on that plane and get this mission over with already so you can come home to your girl."

I laughed at that. He only called me Ric when he wanted to be sure I knew it was my friend speaking to me.

"I'm going to stop at the Tasty Pastry on my way home and have a dozen Boston Crèmes waiting for her. I know this is going to be hard on both of you, since you finally decided to man up and acknowledge you have a relationship with her. Lula and I will keep her busy with decorating our house if we have to."

The thought of Lula and Steph being interior decorators made me smile. If anyone could do it, it was my Babe and Lula. They were platinum shoppers.

"Thanks, man," I told him before turning towards the plane.

"Be safe," I heard him reply, but I just kept walking. I could feel the training taking over and began to go over the mission in my head.

**SPOV**

I woke up the second Ranger crawled out of bed. I normally could sleep through a tornado, but today was different. Today the man I loved was leaving for his last mission, and for the first time, he was leaving as mine. I had tried to leave a few marks on him last night in the shower. Stupid, I know, but it made me feel better knowing he was marked by me. Yes, just throw the animal skins on me and call me cavewoman.

I listened as he showered, and noticed it was about thirty minutes earlier than I thought he would get up. Maybe he was nervous. I knew I hadn't slept well at all last night. I didn't want to miss a second with him. I tried to keep completely still and relaxed, because I didn't want to keep him awake. He needed his sleep. I could sleep from the time he left until he came back, as far as I was concerned.

When the shower turned off, I resumed my fake sleep and listened to him get dressed. The tightness in my chest was getting worse and worse. After he came out of the dressing room, I expected him to grab his bag and leave, but he surprised me when he pulled a chair up beside the bed, sat down, and just watched me.

This wasn't the first time Ranger had watched me sleep; that's how I knew he wouldn't realize I was awake. I knew he used to break into my apartments at night to watch me sleep, and even though it should have been creepy, it always made me feel safer. I laid there, trying to be still, because I knew if I looked at him, the tears I was trying to keep from coming would fall uncontrollably.

After a while, I heard him get up, and then he leaned down and kissed me tenderly on my forehead and lips. And with that, he was gone. As soon as the door to the apartment shut, I let myself cry. I had been holding everything in for the past twenty-four hours, and the dam finally broke at the sound of the door clicking closed. I cried for Ranger, I cried for me, I cried for my family that was falling apart at the seams. I cried for the mother that hated me for reasons I don't think I'd ever understand.

I'm not sure how long I cried, but I finally started calming down enough that I heard the apartment door shut again. I looked at the clock and realized Ranger was already on his flight, so the brief hope that the noise festered was quickly crushed. In all honesty, I knew it would be the guys checking on me.

I waited for one of the guys to knock on the door, as I tried to mop up the tears I'd been shedding. I finally heard the knock.

"Come in." I grabbed a scarf off the table and put it around my head. My hair was starting to grow back, but it needed to be trimmed into an actual style, so I was still self conscious.

I looked up to see Tank, Lester, and Bobby walking into the bedroom carrying a box from Tasty Pastry and enough coffees to go around.

"Hey, Bomber." Bobby gave me a reassuring, sympathetic smile.

"How're you doing, Beautiful?" Lester asked, concern evident in his voice.

"We bought tons of sugary goodness," Tank told me.

I tried to smile at them, but failed miserably. They all looked at me with concern and trepidation. I know dealing with weepy women was not in their training, so I tried to buck up and be cheery.

""Hey guys what's in that box? Please say there are some Boston Crèmes for me?" I tried to ask without sounded like a broken-hearted little girl.

"Yep, and we'll even let you eat them in bed. But don't tell Ranger... you know how he is. He'd probably flip if he knew you got donut crumbs in his bed," Lester told me.

I laughed at this and reached for my first donut.

"Seriously, Steph, are you okay? You've been through a lot the past few days," Bobby said.

"I'm as okay as I can be. I don't know what else to say. I'm worried about Ranger. I'm stressed about Ranger and all the drama going on with the Joe situation, and if that isn't enough, I have a new stalker, who seems to be very patient. You would think that is a good thing, but honestly, I'd rather they just kidnap me and get on with it already. The waiting is the hard part."

I looked up at the guys and realized they must have thought I'd lost my mind after that statement, because all their eyes looked like saucers.

"I'm not saying I want to be kidnapped, guys. Jeesh, give me a little credit. I'm just saying waiting is just as stressful." They seemed to understand what I was saying and relaxed.

"So, Beautiful, is there anything special you'd like to do today? I know you're still restricted until your doctor's appointment tomorrow, but we could take you to the park or to visit the girls at the office," Lester said.

I decided to play with them a little bit, because I knew Ranger had said someone had to be with me if I left the building.

"Actually, I was thinking it was the perfect day to spend shopping. Maybe I'll call Lula and see if she is interested. It's raining and dreary outside, so I can't really do much outdoors. What do you think?" I had waited until I had finished my sentence, and then looked at them. What I saw had me laughing to the point of tears.

Tank looked horrified by the prospect of shopping with Lula and me. Bobby looked constipated, and Lester looked like he was about to bolt. When I finally got my giggles under control, I let them off the hook.

"I'm kidding, guys. I didn't get much sleep last night, and I just want to spend the day in bed. I thought about inviting the girls over tonight. I meant to ask Ranger if he would mind, but I forgot. Do you think he'd care?" I asked.

"Steph, this is your place, too. You don't need Ranger's permission to invite people over. He expects you to treat this like it's your home, because it is," Tank told me.

"I know, but Ranger has always been so private. I don't want to disrupt that."

Lester laughed out loud. "Beautiful, you disrupted his life the day he met you at the diner. You've been flipping that man's world upside down for so long, it's lucky he knows his ass from his head." Bobby and Tank both chuckled and agreed.

I wasn't sure if this was a compliment or an insult, so I decided to ignore it completely.

"Okay, well, if you don't think he'll mind, then I'll do it. I know you guys are busy today, but I wanted to talk to you about a few things."

"Go ahead, Bomber, we're all yours for the next thirty minutes."

I was a little confused that they had booked me into their schedule but whatever. "You guys know I have my doctor's appointment tomorrow, and he will probably be clearing me for light physical activity and allow me to come back to work permanently. I was wondering if you guys would start training me. I know I can't do anything really physical at first, but maybe I could start with just the basics. Maybe Bobby could go to my appointment tomorrow and get a clearer idea of what I can and can't do. If nothing else, I could work on some B&E 101 and training on the technical stuff. I need to busy. I can't just mope around here. Do you understand what I mean?"

They all got grins across their faces.

"All right, we get playtime with Bombshell," Tank said with a shit-eating grin.

"Yeah, Steph, I'll go to the doctor with you tomorrow, and we can work out something that won't be to aggressive. Since you've never really been in great shape, we need to start you out slow anyway," Bobby told me.

I thought about getting pissed at the out of shape comment, but since it was true, I let it slide.

"Beautiful, I'll help you with the B&E 101, too," Lester added.

"You know Ranger wants you to continue working on the business side of things, so as long as the doctor declares you fit for office duty, we will have plenty of things to keep you busy," Tank said, smiling.

"That's great. Thanks, guys," I told them with a smile.

They each gave me a smile.

"Okay, Steph, how about you call the girls and make plans later? Have them come over around seven, and we'll order pizza for you guys. We'll come up and check on you later in the afternoon, okay?" Bobby asked.

I nodded and slid back under the sheets. I was exhausted, which was good, because otherwise, I don't think I'd have been able to sleep. My mind was in overdrive, but after a little while, I finally fell back asleep with my fingers wrapped around Ranger's dog tags.

When I woke up hours later, I looked outside and realized it was still raining. It matched my mood perfectly. I lay in bed and thought about everything that had happened over the past few weeks. I thought about Joe, my mother, and Val, but mostly I thought about Ranger. He'd only been gone a few hours, but I already missed him so much it hurt.

The longer I lay there and thought, the more I thought I wanted to be someone Ranger and my Dad would be proud of. Mostly, I wanted to be someone I was proud of. I wanted to know I could rely on myself, and that I didn't need to rely on luck, Ranger, or the Merry Men. Yes, I'd been through hell over the past few weeks, but honestly, I've been through hell and back a few times between Con, the Slayers, Ramirez, Scrog, and the multitude of other bad guys I've had to deal with.

I decided I would let myself have today. I would call the girls and have them come over, and then I would get back to the plan I'd made for myself at the beach.

That decided, I grabbed my cell and started making calls. After I had spoken to everyone, I got up and showered. I used Ranger's shower gel, because it made me feel closer to him.

I got out of the shower and took a look at my hair, or at least what there was of it. I think it had grown enough to stop wearing the scarves, but it was still strange to see myself with such short hair. When I went to the doctor tomorrow, I'd have to stop and get some products for it, because everything I had was for taming long, curly hair. I wasn't even sure what to buy. Maybe I'd go see Mr. Alexander and see what he said.

I finished getting ready and looked at the clock. Wow, it was already six o'clock. The girls will be here soon, and they guys said the pizza would be here by seven.

I walked from the bedroom to the kitchen and got out some wine glasses, because Connie and Lula said they'd be bringing the wine. I had about thirty minutes to kill, so I decided to call and check on my dad.

I called his new cell phone, and he picked up on the second ring.

"Hi, Pumpkin. How are you today?"

"Okay, Daddy. I just called to see how you were doing. Do you still like my old apartment?"

"It's fine, but I am actually moving out next week."

"Oh, are you moving back home?" As angry and hurt as I was at my mother, I hated that I was the cause of their separation.

"No, a friend of mine from the lodge has an extra room. His wife died a few years ago, and he hates living there alone. I've spoken to a lawyer and am going through with the divorce proceedings. I'm not sure about the details yet, but I want somewhere more permanent and more comfortable."

"So you really are getting a divorce? Daddy, I'm so sorry. Please tell me you're not doing this because of me."

"This is all about your mother, Pumpkin. She isn't the woman I fell in love with. I don't even recognize her anymore. I can't find anything that I even like about her now. I refuse to spend the rest of my life miserable, just so I can stay married. She's been telling everyone that will listen that her mother was lying in court the other day and that Val is my biological daughter, but I have finally spoken to Val and told her that what Edna said was true. She was shocked of course, but I think she may be realizing that her mother isn't the saint she claims to be. The Burg evidently thinks this is the juiciest gossip they've had in years." He sighed and paused for a second. "Our divorce has nothing to do with you. I've decided to give her the house. It's more important to her than it is to me, and I can't just throw her out. At one point, I truly loved your mother, but that was a very long time ago."

I let that sink in and tried my hardest to accept it. "So, does this mean you and this guy are going to have a bachelor pad?" I laughed at the idea.

He chuckled, too. "Not even close. He has a nice home and is lonely. We will have our own space, but won't be alone. It's been too quiet in your apartment after forty years of noise."

"I understand. I didn't figure you'd want to stay there permanently. I had better let Dillon know you're moving out, and he can cancel the lease."

"I wouldn't give up the lease so fast," he said.

I got worried, because I thought he liked Ranger.

"No, honey, I don't think you'll be moving back in here, but I think your grandmother is looking for a place to stay. She and her latest stud muffin aren't really working out. It seems she went and got one of those stun guns right after the trial yesterday and used it on him. Almost killed the poor man, because he had a pacemaker. Crazy old bat."

I could tell he was shaking his head.

"That is one thing I won't miss about that stupid house. Dealing with your grandmother was a pain in the ass when she was on her best behavior. When she started acting up, it was worse than torture. Anyway, maybe you could sublet to your grandmother until your lease is up, and then she could take it over. I'm sure you two can work something out."

"Okay, Dad, I'll give her a call tomorrow and see what she wants to do."

Suddenly, he turned serious. "How are you coping with Ranger being gone?"

As soon as he asked, I felt my stomach turn in knots. "Okay. Thank God this is his last mission. I don't know if I could handle this again. I'm going to try to make the most of it while he's gone. I'll be training with the guys, learning more about running RangeMan, and if the doctor clears me tomorrow, I'm going to start exercising and training for the physical side, too."

"I'm proud of you, Pumpkin. Sounds like you're getting serious about your job and your life."

"Yeah, I'm tired of being a joke, and Ranger always makes me feel like I can do anything, so I'm going to prove him right."

"Sweetheart, you have never been a joke. You have always done things your own way, but that doesn't make it wrong. I like Ranger. He has always been there for you. He lets you fly, but he's there to catch you if you fall. I couldn't ask for more. He's a better man than 'The Dick' and that Morelli boy put together," he growled. "I'm glad you two finally got your heads out of your asses."

My mouth dropped wide open at that last statement, and I guess my dad could tell, because he started laughing.

"Like I told him when you were in the hospital, you two were the only ones that didn't know you were in love with each other."

"Oh," was all I could say. Even my Dad had known... We talked for a few more minutes, before I heard a knock on the door. "The girls are here, Dad. I'm going to get off here."

"Okay, Pumpkin, you have a good night."

"Love you, Daddy."

"Love you, too, Pumpkin," he said before he hung up.

I went straight to the door and opened it up. Before I could get a word out, Lula pushed me aside and ran past me into the apartment.

"Girl, get outta my way. I gotta see where Batman sleeps," she yelled as she walked through the apartment, looking for the bedroom.

Mary Lou and Connie walked inside and checked everything out.

"Steph this place is so nice. I'm completely jealous that this is where you call home. And it comes with a house keeper too. You are one lucky girl. " Mary Lou said smiling at me.

"Yep," I said with a smile.

Lula was coming back from her tour as we sat down on the couch. "So is he going to take you to the Bat Cave?" she asked.

I don't know why, but I blushed. I didn't really know if I wanted to share that I _was_ the Bat Cave, but I did want my friends to see how truly sweet he was, even if he was a badass.

"Actually, he said this apartment is the closest thing he has to a Bat Cave that he can live in." My friends were looking at me, wondering why I'd phrased it the way I did. I decided to put them out of their misery.

"He told me for the past two years, he's thought of me as home, so to him, _I'm_ his Bat Cave."

This had all the girls ohhhing and awwing. We talked some more until the pizza arrived, and then chowed down. A large part of our evening was spent learning about Lula and Tank's relationship and the new house they were moving into on Wednesday. I was genuinely happy for my friends, and Lula looked like she was on cloud nine.

We spent the rest of the evening gossiping and enjoying each other's company. After the girls had a few drinks in them, Mary Lou tentatively asked, "So, do you want to know the latest gossip about your family, or would you rather not hear about it?"

"I was wondering why you hadn't told me anything about me or my family. You know what? I don't want to hear it. I'm tired of letting gossip run my life. I can't let it get to me anymore."

They all looked surprised, but we continued our fun well into the night. I eventually called the comm room and asked one of the guys to drive my friends home. They were pretty much three sheets to the wind, and I didn't want them driving. We agreed to meet at Macy's tomorrow after my doctor's appointment, then we hugged goodbye. I went in and got ready for bed, and was out before my head even hit the pillow.

**TBC...**

**Connie as always you rock. You've kept my story alive every time I was ready to give up so thanks. Jenny thanks for making it seem like I actually can write.**


	21. Chapter 21

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada. **

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you. **

_**Previously:**_

_Lula was coming back from her tour as we sat down on the couch. "So is he going to take you to the Bat Cave?" she asked._

_I don't know why, but I blushed. I didn't really know if I wanted to share that I was the Bat Cave, but I did want my friends to see how truly sweet he was, even if he was a badass._

"_Actually, he said this apartment is the closest thing he has to a Bat Cave that he can live in." My friends were looking at me, wondering why I'd phrased it the way I did. I decided to put them out of their misery._

"_He told me for the past two years, he's thought of me as home, so to him, I'm his Bat Cave."_

_This had all the girls ohhhing and awwing. We talked some more until the pizza arrived, and then chowed down. A large part of our evening was spent learning about Lula and Tank's relationship and the new house they were moving into on Wednesday. I was genuinely happy for my friends, and Lula looked like she was on cloud nine._

_We spent the rest of the evening gossiping and enjoying each other's company. After the girls had a few drinks in them, Mary Lou tentatively asked, "So, do you want to know the latest gossip about your family, or would you rather not hear about it?"_

"_I was wondering why you hadn't told me anything about me or my family. You know what? I don't want to hear it. I'm tired of letting gossip run my life. I can't let it get to me anymore."_

_They all looked surprised, but we continued our fun well into the night. I eventually called the comm room and asked one of the guys to drive my friends home. They were pretty much three sheets to the wind, and I didn't want them driving. We agreed to meet at Macy's tomorrow after my doctor's appointment, then we hugged goodbye. I went in and got ready for bed, and was out before my head even hit the pillow._

**CHAPTER 21**

**SPOV **

I woke up at nine and got ready for my doctor's appointment. I had only had one glass of wine last night, because I had spent the past three weeks with a headache and didn't want to tempt fate. My appointment was at 10:30, and I knew Bobby was going with me, but I needed to find out if he had time to take me to the mall and meet the girls, or if another Merry Man would have to be my escort. I knew as soon as they found out I was going shopping, they would all run away as fast as their muscle-bound legs would carry them.

I took the elevator down to five and stepped off. I was greeted by numerous Merry Men and got a hug from each one. They all seemed to want to cheer me up. It was one of the things I loved about these guys. They watched out for me, and I had never had anyone do that before. They would defend me, and I knew some of them might even die for me. I would do the same for them.

For some reason, something clicked this time when I thought of that. I suddenly realized that my lack of respect for my personal safety was also a lack of respect for their safety, too. It was a very sobering thought. I looked around the room at the guys who were working, and thanked God I hadn't gotten any of them seriously injured or killed because of my stupidity. Sometimes I wondered why they did it. I often thought it was because Ranger ordered them to, but then I see the way they treat me when Ranger isn't here, and I'm not so sure anymore. They all seemed genuinely concerned about my health, mentally and physically. I was pulled from my thoughts when Bobby came out of his office.

"You ready, Bomber?" he asked.

"Most definitely. I'm dying to be allowed to do what I want. Um, Bobby, I wanted to ask you something."

The look he gave me had me thinking I might have made him a little nervous. I smiled at the thought that a little girl from the 'Burg could scare big Army-trained men.

"The girls and I want to go to the mall today. I know you can take me to the doctor, but I wasn't sure if you had time for the mall. I need some dressier clothes when I meet with the clients. My professional wear has been decimated since I started skip tracing. I also wanted to get my hair styled. I promised Ranger I'd keep a guy with me, so is there someone you want to punish or something?"

He actually laughed when I said that. "I do have a meeting today after your appointment, but I'll see if Hal and Ram can take you. They are going to be following as backup anyway."

I nodded, and he walked over to talk to them. I watched Bobby speak to them, and then saw both of their eyes focus on mine with an evil glint. I gave them a finger wave, and Hal seemed to cave. He nodded his head, and Bobby walked back to me.

"Hal volunteered, much to Ram's chargrin. Just don't stun him, and we should be good. Let's get you to the doctor," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and guiding me to the elevator.

We climbed into the Explorer and headed to the doctor's office. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to talk to Bobby about what some of my goals were.

"So Bobby, I was wondering what all you and the guys were planning on working with me on once I'm declared fit for duty," I told him.

"Well, I know you want to work on the physical side, but it's going to have to be just some basic exercises until you're cleared. Other than that, I know we've discussed you learning about what each of us do in the office so you can fill in for us if we're away. We also wanted to get you some basic B&E training, and teach you some offensive driving techniques," he explained.

I was instantly irked by that last statement. "Why the hell do I need to learn how to drive? I grew up in New Jersey, Bobby... EVERYBODY drives offensively. I'm a good driver," I huffed at him.

He chuckled a little before explaining more. "I didn't mean you couldn't drive, Steph. I was referring to spotting and losing a tail, and some other things that not even Jersey drivers learn," he told me with a smile.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense." I'd noticed he didn't mention me training with my gun, and I couldn't decide if I should mention it or not. I knew I needed to learn to be comfortable with it, but I still hated the stupid things.

"Uh, as much as I don't want to, you guys will help me with my gun, too, right?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, definitely. We can probably start that immediately, too. I know Tank is dying to get you back to full time. He's hoping once we've trained you, he'll never have to go to a client meeting again. He really hates wearing a suit." I smiled at that before I got out of the car to go into the doctor's office.

The doctor's visit was quick and painless. He asked me to come back in two weeks for another follow up, but said I was healing nicely. He also said I was cleared for moderate physical activity, such as exercising, but considering the type of work I did, he felt I should stay out of the field for about another month. That was fine with me, because I knew it would take longer than that for me to train properly. I left the office extremely happy.

We met Hal and Ram in the parking lot, and we all switched cars and went our separate ways.

"Thanks for taking me to the mall, guys. I know it's one of the worst forms of Bombshell duty, but I appreciate it," I told them.

Ram grunted. Fortunately, Hal isn't as uncommunicative.

"No problem, Steph. I don't really mind. I was on monitors today anyway. At least this way, I'm out of the office," he said with a shrug.

Hal was finally getting comfortable with me, which made me happy. To be perfectly honest, I thought he'd hate me for life after I'd stunned him, but he was surprisingly okay with it. He'd said it was his own fault for being so naive and trusting, and that I had taught him a lesson. I wasn't so sure about that, though. It made me think he might have some permanent damage from the stunning, but whatever works for him.

As usual, we parked in one of the first parking spots, and headed into Macy's. Lula, Connie, and Mary Lou were already there waiting for me. As soon as I walked in the door, we started shopping. For the next hour, I tried on clothes, shoes, and anything else I could find. We each bought some things, and then headed down to Victoria's Secret. Hal and Ram stood outside, because evidently even they had their limits. I bought a few new things there, too, because I wanted some surprises for Ranger when he came home and I was cleared for 'exercise'. Just thinking about him made my heart hurt. I missed him so much. This was going to be a very long few weeks.

Connie and Lula left after Victoria's Secret because they needed to get back to the office. Ram got called out on an emergency, and he took off like a death row inmate that had been granted a reprieve. I headed to Mr. Alexander's shop, hoping he could fit me in. Fortunately, he had a cancellation and got me right in. When he was finished, I was actually impressed. I still wasn't a fan of short hair, but he made it look pretty good, especially considering what he had to work with. After my haircut, Hal, Mary Lou, and I decided we needed some food, so we headed to the food court. We ordered our food, and the three of us sat down at a table. I was just getting ready to take my first bite, when I heard my mother's voice.

"Well, if it isn't the home-wrecker." Her shrill voice cut through the low murmur of the crowd in the food court.

"Is there something you need, Helen?" I asked her. I was so not in the mood for this.

"Yes, I need for you to have never been born." I heard Mary Lou gasp, and Hal started to stand up. I had to give him props; he was willing to take on my mother for me. This was my battle, though, so I shook my head, letting him know I was okay.

"I think we've been over this before. I don't see any reason to rehash it. I agreed to never step foot in your house, and even agreed that I would no longer consider myself your daughter. Now if you will excuse us, I would like to finish my meal in peace."

"I see you have a different THUG with you today. I heard that Ranger fellow had already left you. I'm surprised you aren't hanging out with that prostitute, too. How you can be seen in public with her, Mary Lou, I'll never understand. You'd better watch out, or she'll ruin your marriage, too." she said.

Mary Lou looked stunned and confused. Okay, mess with me, and I can handle it, but Ranger and my friends were off limits. I stood up, turned to face her, leaned in as close as I could get to her face, and spoke to her very quietly, making sure she could feel how pissed I was.

"I don't know exactly what your problem is, but I'll bet it's something hard to pronounce." Her face showed confusion, but Hal and Mary Lou got the jab at her mental health, and I heard them chuckle. "Now listen to me, you sanctimonious bitch. I have listened to you bitch and moan about me for thirty four years, and _I HAVE HAD ENOUGH_. You want to insult me, that's one thing, but you stay the fuck away from my friends. Ranger didn't leave me. He is away on a mission protecting this country. The guys at RangeMan are not thugs; almost every one of them has served their country in some way or another. And EVERY ONE of them put their lives on the line every day to keep your little corner of the earth safe.

"Lula is a wonderful person, who is loyal and caring. Just because she didn't have the opportunities you had doesn't make her less than you or anyone else. Obviously, Mary Lou isn't a petty BITCH like you. I did not ruin your marriage. Daddy left you because he can't stand you, and honestly, I can't blame him. Each one of my friends are worth twenty of you. Hell, even that's an insult to them. You disowned me! And you know what? I think that's great, because since I no longer have a mother, I don't have to listen to your bitching.

"Stop blaming me for all your problems. You are the cause of each and every one of them."

I slammed my napkin down on my food, because I didn't want anymore.

"Before you came along, I was hungry. Now I'm just fed up." I turned to pick up my bags so we could leave.

"I hope your boyfriend never comes back. I hope he dies while he's out doing whatever illegal activities he's doing this time. After all the pain and shame he's brought to my family and the Morellis, it's exactly what he deserves!" my mother spat at me.

As soon as the words left her mouth, I turned around and slapped her. She stepped back, looking stunned and rubbing her cheek where I'd slapped her. I heard Mary Lou gasp; evidently, she was as shocked as I was that I had enough guts to slap my own mother. I felt Hal stand up and step behind me, but I kept him from stepping around me.

"How dare you…" she began, but I cut her off.

"No! How dare you, Helen? How dare you say something so cruel and tasteless about a man that is doing the exact same job Daddy did for his country! How would you feel if someone had said something like that to you about Daddy when he was away on missions?"

That actually seemed to give her pause, but not for long.

"Don't you dare compare that thug to your father!"

"Why the hell not? The only difference is when Daddy left the service, he worked for the post office. Carlos opened a security firm, but he still gives his time to the government. So why don't you explain to me what makes them so different?" I asked her.

"Your father isn't a drug dealer and a murderer. How else do you explain all his money and shiny cars?"

I rolled my eyes at her. I felt Hal step towards my mother and start to say something again, but I stopped him with my hand.

"Where the hell did you get that from? Morelli? The _'BURG_?'" I spat at her with as much venom as I felt about these two things that have wreaked hell on my life for as long as I can remember.

"For your information, Ranger owns a very successful security firm, with some of the wealthiest clients in the area. He has branches in Miami, Boston, Atlanta, and Trenton. He does jobs for the FBI, ATF, and a bunch of other alphabet agencies of the government. Do you honestly believe any of these agencies would be willing to work with him if ANY of that shit is true?"

I decided Abruzzi wasn't relevant in this situation, because it was my fault he had to do it. Yeah, I know I was rationalizing, but that wasn't the point.

"Do you think he would be going on covert operations if that were true? More importantly, do you think Dad would ever approve of him if it were true? And I assure you, he does. Ranger is the only man I've ever dated my father approves of. "

That seemed to make her stop and think again. At that point, though, I didn't really care what she thought about me, but Ranger was the best man I knew, and it bothered me that no one knew how truly good he was. I turned, grabbed my bags, and motioned to Hal and Mary Lou that I was ready to go.

I stopped before moving away, because I had one last thing to say to her. "I don't care what you say about me, but leave Ranger and my friends, which include Ranger's men, out of it, or you will have to answer to me. And I swear to you, if Ranger doesn't come back to me safe and in one piece, I will do everything in my power to ruin what little bit of a life you have left."

Without giving her a chance to respond, I just walked away, with Mary Lou and Hal following close behind me.

It was then I realized the entire food court was silent. They had obviously been tuning into another episode of the Life of Stephanie Plum show, but for once, I didn't really care. I was shaking with so much anger and fear, I could barely think straight. Part of me wanted to go straight to the gym and start beating on the first thing I could find, but another part of me wanted to go straight to the nearest church to pray for Ranger, to try and counteract my mother's cruel and callous words. I settled for practically speed walking back to the truck, and silently sending up prayer after prayer to keep Ranger safe. I could feel tears burning my eyes, and I wasn't sure if they were from the anger at my mother, or fear that Ranger might not come home to me.

Somewhere in the haze of anger, heartbreak, and fear, I realized Mary Lou was trying to talk to me, and I was already standing by the truck, waiting for Hal to catch up with me.

"Huh? What did you say?" I asked.

Mary Lou took my hand, trying to get me to focus. "Steph! Sweetie, are you okay? I can't believe the things your mother said to you. I always knew she was a little cold, but I never realized how horrible she could be."

I wasn't sure what she wanted me to say. _No, I'm not okay. My mother is an evil bitch, and now she may have jinxed the love my life._ For some reason, I didn't think that's what she wanted to hear.

"I'm fine, Lou. I'm actually starting to get used to it, as bad as that sounds. I just need a little time to calm down," I finally told her.

"Do you want to come back to my place for awhile? I have to pick the boys up from school, but I can have Lenny take them somewhere as soon as he gets home."

I smiled at her, grateful to have such a loving and caring friend. "No, Lou, it's okay. I'm going to head home and try to forget the whole thing, but thanks."

She nodded, gave me a hug, and headed off to her car. "Call me if you need anything, Steph," she called back to me before she climbed into her car.

I nodded my head and turned to look at Hal.

Hal was one of the sweetest of the Merry Men. Since I have been dealing with them for a few years now, I had learned that all of them are just big teddy bears if you get past their 'I'm a Badass and can kill you without leaving any evidence' facade. Hal didn't really put out that vibe, though. He just happened to be a sweet, Midwest, country boy at heart, and he had a hard time coming off as a big bad mercenary.

I could see by the look on his face that he was worried about me, so I gave him one of my best smiles.

"Big guy, are you going to open the trunk for me so I can put my purchases inside?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful.

Evidently, he didn't buy it. "Are you okay, Bomber?" he asked, as he opened the trunk for me.

"Yep, I'm just hunky dory," I replied, and realized I might be trying a little too hard to pull off the jovial attitude.

Hal put his hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him. "Seriously, Steph, that was a pretty ugly scene in there. Your mother said some really awful things. You handled it well, but you've been through a lot over the past few weeks. I know you have Mary Lou and the girls, but if you ever need to talk to someone who understands what it feels like to be left behind with nothing to do but wait and pray, just know I'm here for you."

His kindness and sincerity were almost more than I could take, and the stress of encounter was starting to get to me. I looked away as a single tear escaped. I took a deep breath, wiped it away, squared my shoulders, and looked back at him with a genuine smile.

"Thanks, Hal. I really do appreciate that."

He nodded and reached down to help me put my bags in the trunk. He accidentally knocked one over, and a scrap of bright red spandex fell out. I watched as he turned crimson when he picked it up and realized it was a pair of women's underwear with Bootilicous written in hot pink across the ass. I tried to stop the giggle that escaped, but I couldn't help it. Watching him try to put them back in the bag without looking at them was more than I could take.

"Looks like Lula and I got one of our bags mixed up. Do you think we could drive by the bonds office on the way back to Haywood?" I asked as he shut the trunk.

"Yeah, sure. Uh, whatever. Th-that's fine," Hal stuttered.

He was still red as a beet when we got into the truck, so I decided to chance the subject.

So who did you have to wait and pray for?"I asked, before realizing I might be being a little too nosy. "If you don't want to tell me, that's okay," I quickly added.

"No, it's cool. I don't mind at all, Bomber," he replied as we headed toward the bonds office.

"My dad was a Navy Seal during Desert Storm. He did a lot of classified missions in Afghanistan, too. So growing up, I spent a lot of time on the front porch, waiting for him to come home. I went on a few missions myself before I got out, and I can honestly tell you the waiting is just as hard as being on the mission. Don't get me wrong, missions can be down right horrible. Being away from your friends and family and in the high stress situations is ridiculously difficult, but you have a job to do and something to keep your mind occupied while you're away on a mission. It's the not knowing and the waiting while your mind brings up so many different scenarios that makes it so hard to wait for someone to come home.

"Ranger really is the best, though. I know everyone says it, but it definitely is true. I mean, I used to hear Navy Seals say his name in awe. He'll be back home soon. Just try to keep yourself busy, and you'll get through it. You have all the Merry Men at your disposal, too," he reassured me with a wink.

I laughed at the thought of what exactly I could get the Merry Men into before Ranger came home.

"Thanks, Hal. I needed to hear that," I told him. He had actually made me feel better. Knowing the things in my head were normal really helped.

"Sure, Bomber. No problem," he replied as we pulled up to the office.

******  
**_**(I know nothing about military way of life, so I hope I didn't offend anyone with Hal's description of it)**_

_**TBC...**_

_**As always thanks to the two best beta's in the world, Connie and Jenny. Without you this story would be complete s#%t**_


	22. Chapter 22

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

"_My dad was a Navy Seal during Desert Storm. He did a lot of classified missions in Afghanistan, too. So growing up, I spent a lot of time on the front porch, waiting for him to come home. I went on a few missions myself before I got out, and I can honestly tell you the waiting is just as hard as being on the mission. Don't get me wrong, missions can be down right horrible. Being away from your friends and family and in the high stress situations is ridiculously difficult, but you have a job to do and something to keep your mind occupied while you're away on a mission. It's the not knowing and the waiting while your mind brings up so many different scenarios that makes it so hard to wait for someone to come home._

"_Ranger really is the best, though. I know everyone says it, but it definitely is true. I mean, I used to hear Navy Seals say his name in awe. He'll be back home soon. Just try to keep yourself busy, and you'll get through it. You have all the Merry Men at your disposal, too," he reassured me with a wink._

_I laughed at the thought of what exactly I could get the Merry Men into before Ranger came home. _

"_Thanks, Hal. I needed to hear that," I told him. He had actually made me feel better. Knowing the things in my head were normal really helped. _

"_Sure, Bomber. No problem," he replied as we pulled up to the office._

**CHAPTER 22**

**SPOV**

"You can stay in the truck. I'll be right back," I told Hal, reaching for the handle.

He stopped me before I could open the door. "No way, Bomber. I'm here for a reason. You have a stalker out there somewhere. You already got away from me when we were leaving the mall. Let me do my job, because when Ranger comes back, he will kill me if something happens to you on my watch."

I rolled my eyes, but waited while he did his thing and opened the door for me. I climbed out of the truck and was ushered inside the office and away from the window.

"Girl, you better have my bootylicious panties because there is no way in hell I'm getting my full-figured ass in these tiny black lace panties." Lula said as soon as we walked inside. She proceeded to hold them up to prove her point. I saw Hal's face flush red, and he looked down at his feet so quickly I almost heard a snap.

"Yeah, Lula, that's why I stopped by." I walked over and sat on the couch while we exchanged bags.

"We heard what happened after we left. Are you okay, Steph?" Connie asked. Of course they'd heard, this was the 'Burg.

I sighed. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, what else can I say?"

"Well, _I_ can say your mama is a world class bitch," Lula said. Leave it to Lula to simplify it all down to one sentence. "If you want me to bust a cap in her ass, all you gotta do is say the word. I got no problem with taking her out for you, if you want me to," she continued.

I looked at her, trying to figure out if she was joking or not. It didn't matter; although I did appreciate the sentiment, I didn't want her to kill my mother. I may change my mind if Ranger doesn't come home, though.

"Not now, Lula, but thanks for the offer. I'll keep it in mind." I got up from the couch and started to walk out the door.

I heard Hal tell me to stop, and then I felt him grab my arm right before I heard a loud popping noise and saw the glass in the window shatter in front of me. I felt Hal throw me to the ground, knocking the air out of me.

It took me a few seconds to get my breath back. Having a 230-pound hulk of a man laying on top of me didn't help matters.

"Hal, you gotta get up, I can't breathe."

I heard him grumble something, but he didn't move. I reached up, trying to push him off me, but he was too heavy. When I pulled my hand away from him, I realized it was covered in blood.

I tried to stay calm. "Connie! Lula! Help get Hal off me. He's been hit." I heard movement from behind my head and knew they were coming.

"Be careful!" I told them as we slowly rolled him off me and onto his back.

"I've already called 911, Steph," Connie assured me.

I could see Hal had been hit in the right shoulder. I pulled my jacket off and put it over the wound, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

"Lula! Call Tank, tell him what's going on! Tell him Hal's been shot, and it looks like he hit his head when he fell," I barked.

I was trying to channel my inner Ranger. Hal needed me, and I didn't want to let him down.

"Hal, can you hear me? Come on, buddy. Say something," I pleaded with him.

I didn't think the shoulder injury location was serious, but he was still losing blood, so what did I know. I hoped he was just a little loopy from hitting his head and it wasn't that serious. I heard him mumbling something, so I leaned a little closer to understand.

"I'm so dead. I'm in so much trouble." Then he mumbled something about Ranger, eyes, and Bomber. He kept mumbling repeatedly, causing my fear level to increase drastically. That is, until I finally heard everything he was trying to say.

"Ranger's going to rip my eyes out of my head when he finds out I've seen Bomber's underwear. I'm so dead. I'm in so much trouble," he mumbled.

I laughed in relief when I figured out what he was talking about.

"Hal, I promise not to tell Ranger you saw my underwear, but if he finds out, I'm sure he'll forgive you, since you took a bullet for me," I told him, trying to calm him down as I heard the sirens headed our way.

Before I had the chance to reassure him anymore, the EMTs came in the door and took charge. I backed away from Hal, letting them do their thing, and stood next to Lula and Connie. I carefully stayed away from the window while I waited for Tank, Lester, and Bobby to get there.

I had broken another Merry Man, and I felt awful. I was trying to keep it together, but I had broken the sweetest Merry Man of them all.

When the guys got to the bonds office, they looked at Hal as he was being lifted onto the stretcher, and then noticed me in the corner, away from the window. After they'd assessed the situation, Lester and Tank headed towards us, and Bobby went straight to Hal.

"Beautiful, are you trying to get us all shipped to a third world country?" Lester asked me.

I looked at him as if he'd grown another head. "What on earth are you talking about?" I asked as I watched Tank put his arm around Lula and ask if she was okay. It made me wish Ranger was here even more. He always made me feel better, just by being near me.

"Ranger's not even been gone 48 hours, and you've had another run in with your mother, and now someone has taken a shot at you. At this rate, by the time Ranger gets back, he'll end up killing all of us and start fresh with a whole other band of Merry Men," he said, giving me his killer smile.

I knew he was just teasing me, but for a split second, it felt like he was blaming me. That split second was all it to for the dam to break. I started crying and trying to apologize through the sobs.

"I'm so" sob "sorry." sob "I don't know why" sob "my life is" sob "such a mess." I went to wipe my eyes, and realized I had Hal's blood all over my hands. I'd thought I was already hysterical, but the sight of the blood sent me to a whole new level of hysteria. I completely freaked out. I couldn't breathe. I was gasping for air, and my heart was pounding so fast I was afraid it would burst.

"Nice going, dickhead," Tank said as he smacked Lester on the back of his head. He turned to me. "Bomber, you need to calm down. I think you're having a panic attack. You need to slow your breathing down."

I wanted to scream, _"You think? No shit I need to slow my breathing down."_ Unfortunately, nothing I did helped.

I started feeling light-headed, but luckily by that time, Bobby had walked over to me and pulled me over to the couch. He sat me down and put my head between my legs.

"It's okay, Steph. I want you to focus on me and do what I tell you. Can you do that for me?" Bobby spoke in a soft and calm voice.

I tried to nod. He went through some sort of relaxation thing he called 'Permission Breath Coughing and Sensation Focusing'. I was genuinely surprised when it actually started to work.

When I'd finally calmed down, he turned to Lester and Tank and started barking out orders. "Les, ride to the hospital with Hal. He's fine. He shouldn't even have to spend the night. Tank, go get a towel so we can get this blood off Bomber's hands and face."

Tank nodded and headed towards the bathroom, but Lester just stood there, looking at Bobby.

"Shouldn't you ride with him? You're the medic," he replied, clearly confused.

"The EMTs have it under control, and since your jackass remark upset Bomber, I'm not leaving her alone with you," Bobby told him. That's when I realized Tank and Bobby both seemed to be really pissed off at Lester.

"Beautiful, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just trying to make you laugh." He looked at me sheepishly.

"I know. I didn't mean to freak out on you. It's just been a really tough day. I think I just reached my limit. No worries, Les." I tried to be reassuring, but I honestly didn't have much left in me, and he didn't look very convinced. Bobby and Tank looked even less convinced as they continued to glare at Lester.

Bobby used the towel Tank had brought over to clean me up. Once he got most of it off me, he asked if I wanted to go wash my hands. I realized he had been trying to clean me up before I got a look at myself in the mirror.

Sometimes the Merry Men's thoughtfulness really surprised me, but I always appreciated it, and this time was no exception. I got up and went to the bathroom to wash myself up a little before we left. I still had to stifle a scream when I saw myself, but at least I didn't start freaking out again. I guess it was a good thing Bobby had cleaned me up a little. I had blood all over my clothes. I could tell I had a little in my hair, too, but I think it was from when I ran my hands over my face. I washed my hands off as best as I could and went back out to the office.

When I walked outside, I heard Vinnie bitching and complaining about the window and who was going to pay for it. He seemed to be upset because I hadn't been collecting skips for him, and he couldn't take it out of my pay.

Tank and Bobby had been talking to one of the cops while I was in the bathroom, but started walking towards Vinnie when I came out.

"Is there a problem, Vinnie?" Tank growled at him. Vinnie was glaring at me as I walked out of the bathroom and sat down on the couch.

"Yeah, I thought now that she was banging your boss, I wouldn't have to put up with this shit anymore. And how am I going to get reimbursed for this now that she isn't…" He finally turned and looked at Tank and Bobby, and the looks they were giving him made the little pervert look like he might actually piss himself. He quickly started back peddling.

"I mean, I know it's not her fault or anything, and you know what? I'm sure the insurance will cover it," he continued as he started backing towards his office.

"Why don't we just forget all about it?" he asked, and then turned and scurried into his office, slamming and locking the door behind him.

Tank and Bobby were both grinning by that time. I didn't blame them; everyone had fun messing with my cousin's head, because there was definitely a lot to mess with.

Tank walked over to the couch and sat down beside me. "You doing okay, Bomber?" Tank asked me.

"Yeah, sorry about earlier. I've got myself under control now," I replied.

"Nothing to apologize for, Steph. Anyone would be a little crazy after the day you had. You ready to get out of here?"

"Definitely. I need a nice long shower, and then I'm going to bed," I said. _Some chocolate cake would be nice, too,_ I thought to myself.

"I'll call Ella and make sure she has some ready for you with your dinner," Bobby said with a grin.

Crap! I had to learn how to control that. Oh well, at least it got me some cake. Maybe it wasn't such a bad habit after all.

"I'm going to get the truck and pull it up to the door. I am sure your shooter is long gone, but I'd rather not take any chances," Tank told me before heading out.

I turned and looked at Bobby. "Is Hal going to be okay, Bobby?" I asked.

"Yeah, he should be fine. I think he did more damage when he hit his head than the bullet did. He might have a concussion, but from what I could tell, the bullet didn't hit anything major."

"Are we going to see him?" I asked.

"No, Bomber. He'll be released in a few hours, and Tank and I want to get you home. I know you're worried about him, but this has been a very hard day for you, and you still aren't a hundred percent. Hal is being taken care of."

I still felt horrible, even though he was going to be okay.

"Bomber, this wasn't your fault. You shouldn't feel guilty. His job is to keep you safe, and that's what he did."

I just sighed. "I know, but I'm tired of people needing to keep me safe. Do you think we could start working out in the gym tomorrow?" I asked.

"Most definitely. Meet me there at eight, and we'll start you on a mild program until you've been cleared for more," he told me, grinning, as we watched Tank pull up outside. We climbed in the truck and headed back to RangeMan.

As soon as we pulled in the garage, I relaxed. Home. I was home. It's funny... This had only technically been my home for a few weeks, but it already felt more like home than anywhere I had ever lived. Even my parent's house had never felt like this. We climbed into the elevator and headed upstairs.

Bobby and Tank got off on five, and I continued on up to seven. As soon as I walked inside, I felt better and worse at the same time.

Being here made me feel closer to Ranger, which made the day I had a little easier to take, but it also made me realize all over again that Ranger was gone and I didn't know when he'd be back. I didn't really have the energy to think about that conundrum tonight. I just wanted to take a very long, hot shower and wash the day away along with the blood.

Bobby had already called Ella, so I figured by the time I got out, there would be something yummy waiting for me. I peeled my clothes off and threw them on the floor, turned on the shower, and climbed inside.

As I let the water pour over me, I thought about my latest stalker. I couldn't figure out who it was or what they wanted. My Spidey sense was telling me Morelli had something to do with it, but I knew Ranger had someone on him twenty-four hours a day, so it couldn't be him. Maybe my Spidey sense was on the blink after all.

I wracked my brain, trying to figure out who I'd pissed off recently, and came up blank. I decided to shelve the thinking for the rest of the night and get cleaned up.

I poured Ranger's Bulgari into my loofah and spent the next ten minutes relieving some pent up energy. It was a good thing this was Ranger's last 'in the wind,' or he would seriously need to invest in a good shower massager.

I giggled at the thought of telling Ranger that. I climbed out of the shower and toweled off, brushed out my hair, then put on one of Ranger's t-shirts and a pair of boxers before heading to the kitchen.

I could smell the yumminess as soon as I came out of the bathroom, and I knew Ella had been here. I was surprised, however, to see the woman herself waiting.

"There you are, Stephanie. I heard you had a rough day. I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay, and see if you needed anything." Ella was such a sweetheart.

"I'm okay. Thanks for checking on me, though."

"Of course, dear. I made you some sausage fettuccini alfredo and the chocolate cake you asked for," she told me. I was already salivating at the thought of my meal, but then she went and topped herself.

"I also made some pineapple upside down cake in case you needed something to snack on later. It's in the refrigerator."

I was so happy that I grabbed her and gave her a big hug. She hugged me back and laughed. "Thank you, Ella. Have I told you how much I love you?" I asked her.

"A few times, dear, but the feeling is totally mutual," she said with a smile. She looked at me for a few seconds, as if she was thinking about saying something.

"Stephanie, I have heard some of what's going on with your mother." I felt myself tense up. "I realize that it really isn't my business, but I wanted to tell you something," she said, hesitating.

"Okay..."

"You know I don't have any children of my own, and for years, I have thought of the men here as my sons. I love to fuss over them and take care of them. I have always thought that if I ever had a daughter, I would want her to be exactly like you. You're strong, independent, caring, and loyal. You are an amazing person, Stephanie Plum, and I will never understand how your mother or anyone else could think any differently. I have watched you grow as a woman over the past few years, and I couldn't be more proud if you were my own daughter. And now that you and Ranger are together, I couldn't be happier for the two of you. You two are perfect for each other. He was always so serious until you came along. You've gotten him to enjoy life," she told me with tears in her eyes.

It was all I could do not to burst into tears myself. I gave her another hug, and didn't let go this time. "Thank you, Ella. You will never understand how much that means to me," I told her when I pulled away.

"Well, anytime you need to hear it, you come find me." She smiled and patted me on the cheek. "Enjoy your meal, Stephanie, and call me if you need anything. Do you have any requests for breakfast?" she asked.

"No, you can surprise me. I'm going to the gym with Bobby tomorrow at 8:00, so if you could bring a light breakfast up at 7:30, that would be perfect. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I would like to start eating a little healthier. I mean, not like Ranger or anything, but maybe just a little healthier than I do now," I told her.

She gave me a smile. "Of course, dear. I'll be happy to make your meals a little healthier, but I'll make sure they are tasty, too. I'll even start making some healthy desserts. I think you might be surprised how good they can be," she told me. With one last smile, she headed back downstairs.

I sat down and ate my meal, while staring mindlessly at the television. I loved this apartment, but it was so empty without Ranger here. After finishing my food and putting the dishes in the dishwasher, I remembered I needed to call my grandmother. Pulling out my phone, I dialed her new cell.

"HELLO?….IS ANYONE THERE?… CAN YOU HERE ME?" she yelled into the phone before I could even reply. It seemed my grandmother was having trouble with the concept of a cell phone. I guess even hip seniors had some generational gaps they had trouble getting past.

"Grandma, it's Stephanie," I finally told her.

"Oh, hi, Stephanie! How is my favorite grandbaby?" she asked.

"I'm doing okay. How are you?"

"Okay, but my latest stud muffin is nothing but a dud. Can you believe he was going to have me arrested for stunning him? I was just trying to add a little spice to our love lives."

I cringed at thought. How could stunning someone help your love life? I definitely wasn't going to go there. "Yeah, Daddy mentioned something about it and said you might want to move into my old apartment when he moved out next week."

"Oh, that would be perfect. My latest dud won't be released from the hospital until next Friday at the earliest, so I needed to find a place to live by then. Oh, this is wonderful! I'm going to have my very own bachelorette pad." She went on for the next ten minutes, before I finally got her off the phone.

I was exhausted, both mentally and physically, so I decided to go to bed a little early. I slid under the covers and wrapped my arms around Ranger's pillow, wishing it were him.

**Stalker POV**

My God, that man is a pain in the ass. He's lucky I still needed him later, or I would have already put a bullet between his eyes. I am an incredible shot, and my bullet never even came close to hitting the bitch. If that stupid oaf with her hadn't tried to push her out of the way, I wouldn't have even hit him. I was just aiming to scare them.

After listening to my partner rant for what seemed like an hour about almost hitting his woman, I was seeing red. I decided to go to Shorty's and grab some food and a beer and try to relax a little. Imagine my surprise when a few of the guys from RangeMan sat down at the booth behind me and were discussing the fact that _Ranger _had left for a mission yesterday. Shit, how had my informants missed that? I ordered another beer and thought about how this would effect my plan. It didn't really change the plan, but I was definitely going to put it on hold for a while and see if my informants could find out when he'd be returning.

**TBC...**

**Connie, thank you so much for all your help... Even when RL was kickin your ass you helped me get through my story... **

**Jenny, what can I say you're better than any english teach I ever had. Just don't tell them I said that. LOL**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously**_

_**Stalker POV**___

My God, that man is a pain in the ass. He's lucky I still needed him later, or I would have already put a bullet between his eyes. I am an incredible shot, and my bullet never even came close to hitting the bitch. If that stupid oaf with her hadn't tried to push her out of the way, I wouldn't have even hit him. I was just aiming to scare them.

After listening to my partner rant for what seemed like an hour about almost hitting his woman, I was seeing red. I decided to go to Shorty's and grab some food and a beer and try to relax a little. Imagine my surprise when a few of the guys from RangeMan sat down at the booth behind me and were discussing the fact that Ranger had left for a mission yesterday. Shit, how had my informants missed that? I ordered another beer and thought about how this would effect my plan. It didn't really change the plan, but I was definitely going to put it on hold for a while and see if my informants could find out when he should return

**CHAPTER 23**

**SPOV**

I got up at 7:00 the next morning and got ready to meet Bobby. I ate my breakfast, and was surprised to find that it wasn't actually half bad, even if it was healthy. I'd always teased Ranger about his egg-white omelets with veggies, but Ella definitely knew how to prepare it so it didn't taste like cardboard.

I stepped off the elevator and headed into the gym. There were a lot of guys working out, and I wondered about their sanity, since they were awake and working out at this time on a Saturday morning. As these thoughts went through my head, I saw them all turn around and stare at me with shocked looks on their faces.

What?" I asked the room in general as I took mental inventory, thinking I must have forgotten my shirt or something .

"Just wondering if this is the first sign of the Apocalypse, and if it is, what we needed to do to prepare," Ram answered.

Huh, guess Ram could actually communicate if he wanted to. I just rolled my eyes, because it was way too early and I was too sleepy to argue with anyone.

"You know, you're going to shake something loose if you keep rolling your eyes like that," Ram told me.

"Oh sorry, it's a twitch I get whenever I hear stupid shit," I told him. I heard the guys snickering, but chose to ignore them.

Bobby, Tank, and Lester all walked in after that, so he didn't have a chance to reply.

I was a little surprised to see all three of them, because I figured it would only be Bobby. My surprise must have shown on my face, because Lester answered my unasked question.

"Beautiful, you didn't think any of us would want to miss this, did you?. It is obviously the unwritten eigth sign of the Apocalypse." Lester asked me.

The entire room erupted in laughter, and I gave them each one of my patented death glares. Obviously, like my Spidey sense, my death glares were on the blink, too, because no one fell over dead.

Bobby smiled, walked over to me, put his arm around my shoulder, and started telling me about my training.

"Okay, Bomber, we're going to start light. I know you really haven't exercised before, and I don't want you to over exert yourself, because you're still healing. If you start to feel any type of strain, dizziness, or severe headaches, I want you to stop what your doing and let me know immediately. Are we clear?" Bobby asked.

I nodded my head and looked around the gym. All the guys were going through their normal workout routine. Lester and Tank were in the ring, sparring. I watched them for a minute before turning my attention back to Bobby. He must have realized I wasn't paying attention, because he seemed a little annoyed.

"You know, Bomber, if you don't want to do this, I'm not going to force you. I'm also not going to hold your hand. If you want to train, I will gladly help you, but you need to pay attention." Bobby told me, and I blushed feeling appropriately scolded.

"I am serious, Bobby. I just got a little distracted. Am I going to be sparring?" I asked him.

"No, not for a while. You'll have to be cleared for that, and I figure it will be at least another month before you can start regular sparring. I think you'll be able to learn some self-defense moves, but right now, I just want to get you in shape. It won't matter how much you learn in the ring if you can't keep up with the skip for more than two blocks," he told me.

I wanted to be offended, but he was right. "Okay, so where do I start" I asked.

He pushed me to the treadmill and had me walk on it for thirty minutes. Once I was done, he took me to each machine in the gym and showed me how to use them.

"I'm not actually going to have you start your training today. I just wanted you to be comfortable with the machines. I will give you a schedule, and each day, you'll focus on a different combination of muscle groups. Starting tomorrow, you will come down and walk on the treadmill for thirty minutes. After the doctor clears you for more, we will be running every morning, but for now, walking will have to do. After you do the treadmill, you'll do reps on machines. There are three different muscle groups I'm going to show you, and I want you to focus on one each day. Any questions?" he asked as he showed me how the last machine worked.

"No, I think I understand, but can you write it down for me? I don't think I'll remember all of it," I said sheepishly.

"Yeah, Steph, I'll give you a workout card that will have listed what you need to do each day. You can use it until you have everything down. Just make sure someone is always in the gym when you're lifting. For the first week, I'll work out with you and help you set up a routine, but after that, you'll need to follow it yourself. Once you're cleared for more, I will adjust your workout accordingly. I think that will do it for today. I'll meet you down here tomorrow at the same time, but on weekdays, you'll need to be down here by 5:30 am," he said.

I had to look at him twice because I was hoping he was kidding. I realized rather quickly he was completely serious. I forced myself to keep from making a face, but it was extremely hard. The thought of working out at 5:30 in the morning sounded like torture to me, but I didn't want the guys to think I didn't appreciate the fact they were helping me with my goals. I was just going to have to suck it up and deal, because I'd asked for their help, and that was exactly what they were giving me. I noticed Tank and Lester were just finishing up with their sparring, so Bobby and I headed over to talk to them.

"Having fun, Beautiful?" Lester asked as he wiped the sweat off his face.

"Yep..." I tried to sound sincere, but all three of them were looking at me like they didn't believe it.

"Okay, no, I don't find any of this remotely fun, but I need to do it, so here I am," I grumbled.

Tank leaned over and ruffled my hair. "That's good enough for us, Bomber."

"So, Beautiful, I'm going to be taking you to the gun range three days a week for an hour. We'll do it on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday," Lester told me. I just nodded in reply, proud that I didn't voice my complaints out loud for once.

"And I'm going to help you with B&E 101 and some driving techniques on Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 pm. I'll be doing your self-defense training when you're cleared for it, too," Tank added.

"Besides the weight training, I'm going to give you some First Aid training. All RangeMen employees are required to have the basics, but since you're like Danger Prone Daphne, we thought you'd benefit from a little more in-depth training," Bobby explained.

"Hey, I resent you comparing me to Danger Prone Daphne," I growled unhappily.

"Are you saying you don't see the similarities?" Lester asked, smiling cheekily.

Well, crap, he had me there. "Okay, yeah, I see the similarities, but I still resent it," I said, pouting.

They all just laughed at me before Tank continued. "Also, we figured we'd set you up with more training in the office, so in the morning, you'll be doing your regular work, and then during the afternoon, you'll work with one of us each day, learning about what we do. You think you can handle all that?" Tank asked, giving me a huge, shit-eating grin.

I looked at the other two and saw matching smiles. I just gave them my best eye roll. "I can handle anything you throw at me," I replied, sounding much more sure of myself than I felt. I said my goodbyes and headed upstairs to shower.

It was about 11:00 by the time I had showered and gotten ready. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn't want to stay in the apartment. I loved living here, and it felt like home, but every second I was here alone, I was thinking about why Ranger wasn't there with me. I figured if I called Lula, she could probably come up with something, so I went in search of my phone.

"Heya, girlfriend! What's good?" Lula asked when she picked up the phone.

"I just wanted to get out of the apartment today. Do you have any plans?" I asked.

"Well, since you done retired from the skip tracin' profession, someone had to pick up your slack. I'm on my way to pick up your friend, Carol Zabo. Evidently her sex life has gotten dull again, because this time, she tried to steal a Sweet Seduction Love Kit from Pleasure Treasures. It slipped out from under her coat as she was walking out the door."

I heard Lula chuckle. It was pretty funny. You'd think the woman would be more embarrassed getting arrested stealing the things she did than she would be buying them.

"Anywho, after that, I was going to go do some furniture shopping for mine and Tank's love nest. You are more than welcome to come along. Maybe after we're done, we can get some people together and go out to that new club, Elements?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Why don't you come over here after you get Carol, and then we can head out."

"You don't want to come with?" she asked, clearly surprised.

"Yeah, I want to come, but I made some promises to the guys and Ranger, and I plan to keep them. I'm not going out until I'm cleared and better trained, no matter how easy the skip. You know that never really matters when it comes to me, anyway," I explained. Wow, I really can be responsible. Who knew?

"Hmph! Well I'll be damned," Lula muttered, obviously as surprised as I was at my behavior.

"Carol won't give you any problems, anyway. Just call when you're on your way," I told her.

"Will do woman. TTYL," Lula replied and disconnected.

Did Lula just text speak to me, I wondered as I hung up the phone. Best not to think too much about it. Hmmm, I have to have someone with me because of the stupid stalker. Oh well, whoever gets stuck with Bombshell duty is not going to be happy, I thought as I headed down to five.

I walked out of the elevator, wondering whose day I was about to ruin. Cal was the first to approach me.

"Hey, Bomber, I hear you were in the gym this morning. Should I start preparing for the end of the world?" he asked, thinking he was being funny.

I wasn't amused, so I just ignored him. "So who's on Bombshell duty?" I asked.

"Um, I think it's Woody? Let me check the schedule," he said.

"Schedule? Are you kidding? You have a schedule?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. How else would we do it?" he replied, clearly confused by my surprise.

I shook my head, trying to get back on track. "Okay, well, Lula and I were going to go do some furniture shopping, and then we thought later tonight we could all head out to that new club, Elements. You interested?" I asked.

"Sure, I haven't been out in a while. I'll tell the other guys. What time do you want to meet down there?"

"Oh, I was thinking either ten or eleven tonight."

"Cool. I'll let the guys know. Here comes Woody. Tell him where you're going while I'm standing here," he requested.

I looked at him like he was crazy.

"What? I want to see his face when he finds out he's shopping with you and Lula. It will be great!" he told me, looking entirely to happy with the situation.

Shopping with Lula and me wasn't that bad, was it? Obviously it was if I went by the look on Woody's face when I told him where we were going. Oh well, he's just going to have to deal with it. I got up and worked out on a Saturday morning, so the least he could do was shop with Lula and me. I mean really, it wasn't like we were going to V.S. again.

After Lula came to the office, we all climbed into an Explorer, because Woody refused to ride shotgun for either of us. I didn't really care either way, and Lula thought it was cool to have a driver. She kept calling him Hoke, from the movie _Driving Miss Daisy_, but he had no idea what she was talking about. By the time we got back to the office five hours later, I thought Woody might be seriously considering a new job. He looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown.

I actually felt pretty bad for him, so when we were on the elevator, I offered to buy him a drink if he went out with us tonight. He just grunted in response, so I was kind of unclear where that left us. I wasn't really all that worried about it as I got off and headed into the apartment. Lester, Bobby, and the other guys living at RangeMan wanted to meet at Elements at 10:00, so we were going to leave at 9:30. I decided to eat some dinner and then take a shower and get ready.

We headed out to the club, and got there right at 10:00. Of course, the Merry Men didn't have to wait in line, so we headed inside and found Connie and a few of the other guys already waiting for us. I had a few drinks and danced with all the guys. I was actually having a great time, until about 12:30, when Tank took a phone call and got all business like.

"I think it's time to head out," he told the group. Everyone seemed a little surprised, but as usual, the guys fell in line quickly.

"Why? What's going on, Tank?" I was worried the call was about Ranger and he wasn't telling me. Add in the Long Island Ice Teas, and I was quickly heading for full-blown rhino mode.

Evidently, Tank realized I was about to blow.

"Calm down, Bomber. The call had NOTHING to do with Ranger. That was Vince. He's on Morelli tonight, and he called to tell me Morelli is on his way here. I wanted you out of here before he arrived. He's got practically every male in his family with him, and I'd rather not cause a scene," he explained to me.

"Oh. Okay. I'm good with that. I have to get up early in the morning, anyway." I thought giving a lame excuse would hide the fact that I was terrified about actually seeing him again. I don't know why the thought of him scared me. I realized it made no sense. The guys would never let him near me, but that didn't keep me from wanting to run away as fast as I could.

"Don't worry, Beautiful. He won't get near you," Lester told me. He put his arm around my shoulder, and I realized I was completely surrounded by Merry Men. It was kind of frightening to be honest, and I think the other patrons agreed. Everyone seemed to be tripping over themselves to get out of our way. I might have laughed had I not been so worried about running into Joe.

We got outside without incident, and were headed to the trucks when I heard Anthony Morelli's voice.

"Well, if it isn't the RangeMan whore. I see you brought all of your fucks with you tonight, except for the big dog. What, is he bored with you already?" Anthony slurred as he slapped Joe on the back, laughing.

I heard a bunch of grunts and vulgar comments from the rest of Morelli's group. I hadn't heard Joe actually say anything, but when I turned, I saw him watching me intently. The look on his face made me sick to my stomach. I knew all of the Merry Men were ready to fight, but honestly, that was the last thing I wanted. I didn't want anymore 'Burg drama.

I completely ignored Anthony's remarks and kept walking to the truck, trying to diffuse the situation. "Come on, guys, I'm really tired. Please just ignore them and take me home." I heard Anthony say something else, but it was lost as I shut the door to the truck. Everyone else climbed into their cars, and we headed out.

Lester and Bobby were in the truck, taking me back to the apartment.

"You okay, Beautiful?" Lester asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just don't understand why I am so scared of him. I mean, I had all you guys with me, and I knew you wouldn't let anything happen, but I still felt terrified as soon as Tank said his name," I told them.

"Bomber, it's perfectly normal. The man nearly killed you. I'd be more worried if you weren't afraid of him. It will get easier with time. Training and being able to defend yourself will help you feel better, too. You just need to give it time," Bobby explained.

"Since it's so late, why don't we work out tomorrow at nine instead?" Bobby asked me. I knew he was doing it for my benefit. I had no doubt he would be there at his normal time if he wasn't working with me, so even though it was only an hour, I was happy. I really appreciated the gesture.

"Okay, that would be great. Thanks, Bobby," I told him. He just flashed me a sexy smile and nodded his head.

We pulled into the garage and all headed upstairs, ready to crash. I took a quick shower to get the bar smell out, pulled on one of Ranger's t-shirts, and fell asleep as soon as I slid between the sheets.

**TBC...**

**Thanks to my wonderful Beta's Connie & Jenny… You're the greatest!**


	24. Chapter 24

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_**Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_Previously:_

_Lester and Bobby were in the truck, taking me back to the apartment._

"You okay, Beautiful?" Lester asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just don't understand why I am so scared of him. I mean, I had all you guys with me, and I knew you wouldn't let anything happen, but I still felt terrified as soon as Tank said his name," I told them.

"Bomber, it's perfectly normal. The man nearly killed you. I'd be more worried if you weren't scared of him. It will get easier with time. Training and being able to defend yourself will help you feel better, too. You just need to give it time," Bobby explained.

"Since it's so late, why don't we work out tomorrow at nine instead?" Bobby asked me. I knew he was doing it for my benefit. I had no doubt he would be there at his normal time if he wasn't working with me, so even though it was only an hour, I was happy. I really appreciated the gesture.

"Okay, that would be great. Thanks, Bobby," I told him. He just flashed me a sexy smile and nodded his head.

We pulled into the garage and all headed upstairs, ready to crash. I took a quick shower to get the bar smell out, pulled on one of Ranger's t-shirts, and fell asleep as soon as I slid between the sheets.

**CHAPTER 24**

**SPOV**

I got up the next morning and headed to the gym to meet Bobby. After I worked out, I went back upstairs and spent the day vegging out. As much as I love a good lazy day, I just couldn't seem to find the enjoyment in it I usually did. It left me way too much time to think about Ranger. Feeling pretty miserable, I decided then and there that until Ranger came home, I was going to keep myself as busy as humanly possible.

For the next two weeks, I got up every morning and went to the gym. I didn't even take the weekends off. It was killing me, but I could actually see a difference, so I kept at it. I was finally back in my skinny jeans and my entire body just looked more toned. All the guys were great, and would always encourage me when they noticed I seemed to be running out of steam. Even though Bobby had said after the first week I'd be on my own, the guys seemed to take it upon themselves to make sure I had a partner each morning. It definitely made it easier having someone beside me and encouraging me.

During the week, I would go down to five and start working as soon as I got cleaned up and dressed after my workout. I was really getting the hang of the office side of things, and the clients actually seemed to prefer me over the Merry Men. Go figure. I guess it had been so long since I had actually been intimidated by them, I had forgotten how really scary they could be.

The guys and I had worked out a schedule for training me in the office part of RangeMan. I spent one afternoon each a week with Bobby and Lester, and two afternoons a week with Tank, because he had so much more responsibility with Ranger gone. Fridays were for me to catch up with the searches if I got behind, but that was rarely a problem. Surprisingly, I was enjoying myself, even though I wanted to get out of the office a little more. I definitely wasn't bored, and I knew eventually I'd end up back in the field. I would usually work until one of the guys forced me upstairs, having called Ella to have my dinner ready.

This was the first time in my life I felt like I was actually accomplishing something, and I was really proud of myself. I met my dad and grandma for dinner at least once a week at different restaurants in Newark. We had decided to go somewhere we wouldn't have to worry about the 'Burg eavesdropping. The second week we met, Dad explained what was going on with the divorce. My mother was evidently not handling it well, and my father and grandmother were talking about what they could do to get her help.

She and Angie Morelli had evidently become best friends and were together all the time. My mother had explained to my grandmother that she was hoping this made people realize Joe had done nothing wrong; that it was all my fault. Grandma Mazur had poured a frozen mocha over Mom's head and then stunned her with her new cell phone stun gun, rather than argue with her about it.

Dad and Grandma both assured me no one was buying the load of crap my mother and the Morellis were selling, but it still hurt that my mother cared more about a man that had almost killed and raped me than she did about me, her own daughter.

Evidently, the whole 'Burg was starting to question my mother's sanity. My Dad had finally started looking into options when our priest approached him and said he thought my mother needed more help than he could give her. Dad was now trying to have her committed, using an involuntary psychiatric hold, but it didn't look like it was going to happen because she didn't seem to be a danger to herself or others. I didn't really understand what he was saying until Grandma Mazur jumped in and explained it was the same thing they'd done to Britney Spears.

Grandma quickly changed the subject, telling me how great it was having her own place. Dad even said he was enjoying his new living arrangements. They were both speaking to Val and the girls, but she still wanted nothing to do with me. It hurt even more because I missed my nieces so much, but I was glad my grandma and dad had made it clear to both girls that I loved them and was just really busy with work.

I was confused about what was going on with my mother. I wasn't sure if I should hate her or feel sorry for her. Fortunately I didn't have a lot of time to think about it, because the girls and I spent a lot of our free time shopping for new furniture and helping decide how to decorate Tank and Lula's new place, much to the Merry Men's horror. It was a blast, and I wondered if Ranger and I would ever buy a place we could decorate together.

Hal and the guys on four invited me down to watch movies a few nights when nothing was going on for work. Hal was still on light duty because of the shooting. I really felt bad but, he assured me that he wasn't upset with me for getting him shot. I thought poor Hal was going to pass out from embarrassment when I told the guys about the bootilicious and lace pantie incident.

Tank made sure he kept me in the loop about Ranger. He had told me that Ranger had made his first two check ins, and that it seemed like the mission was going okay. Ranger still had no idea when he would be back, but I felt a little better knowing he was okay.

Exactly two weeks after my last doctor's visit, I returned for my second to last follow up, and he declared me fit to return to duty, within reason. I still needed to be careful about hitting my head, but I could do more aggressive training as long as I wore protective head gear and didn't take any direct hits to the head.

I was thrilled when I left the doctor's office, because I knew I was going to finally start self-defense training, and that's exactly what happened. The guys even let me start going out in the field on stakeouts. Bobby sat me down and explained that he would like me to wait at least six months before I went out after skips or did any distractions.

He explained that even though I was finally training, I was wearing head gear when I trained, and that wouldn't be the case when I was out in the field. Bobby said he didn't want to take any chances. I could tell he thought I would throw a fit when he told me, but I was completely fine with it. I was just happy I could get out of the office a little now, and if he wasn't sure I was ready for more, I was okay with that.

It was obvious he was completely shocked, but I couldn't really understand why. Ever since Ranger left, I had done my best to do everything the guys asked. Okay so I still had my attitude. I wasn't just blindly following where they lead, but at least I tried to think before I acted now. Surprisingly, when I actually thought about it rather than just jumping in head first, I normally realized what they were saying was right.

We did have a few snags here and there, of course. Especially when it came to my shadow. Since my stalker was so quiet, I couldn't understand why I needed a guard; especially now that I was carrying a gun everywhere I went and was actually getting trained. The guys didn't seem to see why this would make a difference. I personally think they were so scared of Ranger, they decided it was easier to keep someone with me at all times rather than risk something happening. They tried to change tactics by assigning Hal and Cal to me as revolving 'partners'. I wasn't fooled, though. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it must be... a friend of Vinnie's? Oh, hell you get the picture.

Six weeks after Ranger left, I was finally cleared for any and all activity, so the guys started training me in the art of Krav Maga. Tank explained that Krav Maga was a hand-to-hand combat system used by the Israeli Special Forces. He'd chosen this form of combat for me because it had no rules, used street fighting, wrestling, and often incorporated Asian martial arts into it. In Krav Maga, there are no distinctions between training men and women, and the training can help you become more aware of your surroundings. It can also help you recognize potentially threatening situations, and teaches ways to deal with these situations in hopes of avoiding violence.

I still had to wear my protective head gear, of course, but I actually loved Krav Maga. I was really surprised how well I took to it. I think even the guys were kind of shocked, and it didn't take long before they were all volunteering to spar with me so I wouldn't be used to only one opponent.

About five weeks after I had started my self-defense training, I was in the ring with Lester. It was only the second time I'd actually sparred with him, so I was a little nervous. I hadn't actually won any sparring sessions yet, but I felt like I was finally starting to give the guys some actual competition.

"So, Beautiful, you ready to face the greatest?" he asked with a smug grin.

"You know, Lester, I think you might have delusions of adequacy," I said, grinning back at him as we started circling each other.

"Oh Beautiful, you wound me," he said, right before he lunged at me. I countered each of his moves easily. I had learned early on that even though I wasn't as strong as the guys, I was much faster. Tank had shown me how to use this to my advantage, because with these guys, I needed every advantage I could get.

We had been sparring for a while, and a bunch of the guys had crowded around the ring to watch. I heard them shouting encouragement, and it made me pick my game up a little more. Lester was taunting me relentlessly, and I was really getting annoyed with him.

"Beautiful, you're never going to take me down. You might as well just throw in the towel now," he told me during a brief lull in the action, while we circled each other, looking for an opening.

"You know, Lester, your mother should have thrown you away and kept the stork," I told him.

Evidently, that wasn't the response he was expecting, because I saw his eyes widen in surprise and his guard drop just a little. It was enough for me to get close enough to go straight for his balls. He fell down immediately, grabbing himself before he hit the floor. I hadn't hit him as hard as I could have, but he should have remembered Krav Maga had no rules.

I was so happy about winning my first sparring match, it was all I could do not to do a Snoopy dance in the middle of the gym. All the guys were groaning and laughing at Lester as I walked over and took off my head gear. Tank walked up to me, still trying to get his laughter under control.

I looked at him and tried to raise my eyebrow, swearing one of these days I will get it to go up, and told him, "Don't laugh! You're next!"

He abruptly quit laughing, and I swear he paled and backed up. "No need to get vicious there, Bomber! Honestly, you did a good job finding that opening," he told me before walking away.

For the next three months, my week days became very routine and full. Every morning, I got up at 5:00 am and did my normal workout. I had started running and was actually starting to have a little endurance. I could run five miles without dying, and I was pretty proud of myself. I spent my days learning about running RangeMan, and was really beginning to feel like a member of the team. After work, I would meet one of the guys and work on my Krav Maga training. My evenings and weekends were normally busy, too. I would either hang out with the guys, visit with my dad and grandma, or make plans with Connie, Mary Lou, or Lula, but I did my best to avoid the 'Burg. I was much happier without hearing what was going on there.

Tank would sporadically let me know Ranger had made his check ins, but there still was no indication of when he would be home. I kept my self busy by focusing on my training and all of the things I was learning from Tank, Bobby, and Lester about running Rangeman.

I had only heard from my stalker once since the shooting incident, on Christmas day. I had spent the day with a bunch of the guys at Tank and Lula's newly decorated house. My dad, and even my grandmother, had been invited, too, since Val was going to the Klougn's for Christmas. I can't even describe what a disaster it was having Grandma Mazur in a house full of Merry Men. I was positive she wouldn't be invited back.

First, she tried to get up close and personal with Cal's impressive package, when she accidentally tripped and fell on top of him. Then she stunned Binkie with her stun gun, because she wanted to see if she had charged it the night before. Finally, when Lula brought out a pumpkin cake she had spent hours making, Grandma decided to goose Ram, and when he jumped away from her, he smacked right into Lula, causing the pumpkin cake to fly through the air and land on Tank's head.

Not including those incidents, it had been a nice day, but I'd spent the whole day missing Ranger even more than I normally did.

**Stalker POV**

I was sick of hearing that man whine about why we weren't moving forward with the plan. Is he a fucking moron? Without Ranger here, there is no plan to move forward with. I was starting to question my decision about having him involved. I usually work alone, and I prefer it that way for just this reason. He did have a point when he said we should do something, even though Ranger was gone, to make sure she knew we were still around. I figured a letter and gift delivered to her apartment on Christmas would definitely rattle her. He wrote the letter. I provided the pictures. One of my friends happens to work as a contract worker for RangeMan, and I knew he would be working on Christmas. He was pissed off at Ranger for not hiring him full-time, so I figured he'd be willing to deliver my letter and keep his mouth shut if I gave him enough money, and I'd been right.

**SPOV**

When I got back to RangeMan with the gifts I'd gotten from everyone at the party, I saw a package waiting outside the apartment door. I picked it up and went inside to open it. As soon as I opened it, I knew something was off, but I wasn't sure what. A photo album and an envelope were inside. I figured I'd open the envelope first, and that's when I realized it was from my stalker.

_**Dearest Stephanie,**_

I know you're spending Christmas alone without the love of your life, but I promise this is the last Christmas you will ever have to spend without me. You belong to me, and soon, everyone will know. Soon, you and I will be together until death do us part!

Merry Christmas, my love,  
Forever yours

Ewww! Gross! The man thought he was the love of my life? Well, unless this was from Ranger, he was obviously delusional. Of course, I'm fairly sure delusional is part of the definition of a stalker. I opened the album and saw pictures of me. There were at least a hundred pictures of me taken over the last three or four months.

A few were taken on the few trips I'd made to the mall with the girls. Some of them were of me walking out of the bonds office, one of the few places I still went regularly. A lot of them were of me eating dinner with my dad and grandma at different restraunts in Newark. Those especially really freaked me out, I didn't want either of them to be targeted because of me. I knew I needed to call the guys, but I decided to wait until morning, because I didn't want to ruin anyone's Christmas. I also knew it was contract workers holding down the fort for the day, and I didn't want them to get fired or beaten when the core team found out. I was smart enough to realize that it was probably one of the contract workers that delivered it, but I knew they couldn't get into the apartment. Just to be on the safe side, I went to bed with my gun under my pillow.

I called the guys first thing the next morning, and they came right up. They all seemed pretty angry that the package had gotten through security and ended up on my doorstep. I was right when I thought none of the contract workers would be coming back to work for us, and I felt really bad about it. I know it could have been something much worse and this was supposed to be a secure building, but I didn't want anyone to lose their job over it. I was also a little worried about what Tank was going to do when he actually saw the contract workers, because he seemed really pissed. He said he'd take the package and have it looked over, but he didn't expect to find any type of evidence. My stalker seemed to be pretty good at covering his tracks.

I had spoken to Jack, the DA, and learned that Joe's defense attorney's had filed motion after motion to keep the case from going to trial. Jack said he didn't want to fight them, because the only other witness to the actual crime was Ranger, and we weren't sure when he'd be back. From what Jack had said, it could be another six months before the case went to trial. In some ways, I was happy about not having to deal with it yet, but part of me just wanted it to be over.

Since Ranger had left, I'd decided to remove myself from the 'Burg, or rather, what the 'Burg was saying. It had taken a while for Connie, Lula, and Mary Lou to get used to it, but for the first time in my life, the 'Burg wasn't playing a role in my life. I had no doubt rumors about me were still flying through the 'Burgvine, but I no longer cared what was said. Without my mother throwing it back in my face everyday, it was actually quite easy to ignore, and I was definitely happier not hearing about it. Grandma Mazur still had trouble not dishing out 'Burg gossip at our weekly dinners, but she had managed to keep the rumors about me quiet.

My life was actually pretty good, if you forgot the fact that my heart was somewhere far away on a mission, and I didn't know when or if I'd see it again.

**TBC...**

**As usual, a shout out to my girls, Jenny & Connie for all their help. And thanks to Connie for the duck joke. :D**


	25. Chapter 25

FADE TO BLACK

Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.

WARNING: This story is _VERY_Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.

_Previously:_

_I had spoken to Jack, the DA, and learned that Joe's defense attorney's had filed motion after motion to keep the case from going to trial. Jack said he didn't want to fight them, because the only other witness to the actual crime was Ranger, and we weren't sure when he'd be back. From what Jack had said, it could be another six months before the case went to trial. In some ways, I was happy about not having to deal with it yet, but part of me just wanted it to be over._

_Since Ranger had left, I'd decided to remove myself from the 'Burg, or rather, what the 'Burg was saying. It had taken a while for Connie, Lula, and Mary Lou to get used to it, but for the first time in my life, the 'Burg wasn't playing a role in my life. I had no doubt rumors about me were still flying through the 'Burgvine, but I no longer cared what was said. Without my mother throwing it back in my face everyday, it was actually quite easy to ignore, and I was definitely happier not hearing about it. Grandma Mazur still had trouble not dishing out 'Burg gossip at our weekly dinners, but she had managed to keep the rumors about me quiet._

_My life was actually pretty good, if you forgot the fact that my heart was somewhere far away on a mission, and I didn't know when or if I'd see it again._

CHAPTER 25

SPOV

Four months after Ranger left, the guys set up a training exercise to see how I was progressing. It involved four different challenges. The first was a driving obstacle course Tank set up. I would have two minutes to get through it. For the second exercise, he was going to lock me inside a building with only my lock picking tools, and I would have five minutes to get myself out. Lester had rigged an obstacle course on the shooting range as the third challenge. I had to keep from shooting innocents, while taking out the bad guys, without getting myself shot in less than two minutes. Last but not least, Bobby was going to be my attacker, and I would have to be able to disarm him to finish his challenge.

The night before, I barely slept, due to the excitement of the upcoming challenge. I was still worried I would let the guys down, but for once, I actually felt like I might be capable of doing it.

The guys had each promised me a gift if I finished their course in the allotted time, but I really didn't care about that. What I wanted was to make them proud of me, and for once, to be proud of myself. Most importantly, I wanted to make Ranger proud, even if he wasn't here to see it.

I woke up at 5:00 like normal. _I bet Ranger will be shocked when he gets back and sees how early I get up_, I thought with a smile. These days, I started every morning the same way. I would send a silent prayer, asking God to bring Ranger back to me safe and sound, before getting up and heading to the gym. Once back in the apartment, I grabbed a quick shower, threw on a robe and headed out to see what Ella had left me.

I ate a light breakfast. Pretty much every thing I ate was healthy and light now. I still had my cheats, but I only allowed myself those indulgences once or twice a week now. I know that will be a big shocker for Ranger as well. Done eating, I dressed quickly and headed downstairs. I was nervous, excited, and ready to get started.

My first challenge would be the driving course, so I headed down to the garage to meet the guys. Together, we would then head over to the abandoned lot and building that RangeMan owned for training exercises such as these.

Tank had taught me how to spot and evade a tail, and also how to tail someone else, but he'd decided to focus on my defensive and offensive driving techniques for his challenge.

I was a little startled when I saw that most of the Merry Men who weren't on duty were waiting downstairs by their trucks. I guess I shouldn't have been, though, because they had all been supportive and helped me train at different times. It made me want to succeed even more.

We drove over to the lot, and the guys all got out of the cars to watch. Tank told me what I was supposed to do. He had set up obstacles throughout the course, and I had to get through or around them, keep control of my car and not hit anything, finishing in two minutes. It seemed like a lot, but I was confident I could do it.

As soon as Tank gave me the green light, I took off. I got around everything, didn't hit anything, and pulled across the finish line with ten seconds to spare. I jumped out of the truck, doing a happy dance, feeling like I'd just won the Indy 500. By the way the guys were throwing me around, you would have thought I had.

After I was congratulated by all the guys, we headed into the building. I was taken up to the top floor and locked inside a room with my hands handcuffed behind my back. I had to wait two minutes, and then get myself out of the building in under five.

Cheating was out of the question, because the entire building was rigged with cameras and other surveillance equipment, so I counted off the two minutes on the clock on the wall and got to work on my task.

Four minutes and twenty seconds later, I walked out of the building, feeling pretty good about myself. Maybe even a little smug. The guys all wore shit-eating grins as I sauntered up to them. After another round of congratulations, we headed back to the RangeMan shooting range.

I finished my shooting challenge with the same success. I had already passed my tests to carry concealed, so I was ready for the field when I was cleared for duty.

I headed up to the gym for my final challenge, the one I was most worried about. I had learned a lot in the past four months, but I was far from experienced when it came to hand-to-hand combat. This was also the challenge I wanted to win the most. This was the challenge that would prove to me that I could protect myself.

I knew I still had a lot of training to do, but I felt if I could win this challenge, I would definitely be on my way to being the person I wanted to be. I walked into the gym and started stretching.

All the guys had piled into the gym and were cheering me on. I was surprised to notice they weren't betting on me. Actually, I hadn't seen any money change hands all day. Lester was standing beside me then, and his ESP must have been working.

"We all agreed when you first started training, you'd had your life bet on enough. We know it hurts you, and didn't want to add to it, so we agreed betting on you was off limits," he explained.

I didn't know what to say. It really touched me that the guys had realized how much it hurt when my friends bet on me, and had agreed to never do it again.

"Thanks. That means a lot," I told him, almost choking on the sudden lump in my throat. He gave me a wink and pushed me towards Bobby and the ring.

"You think you can take me, little girl?" Bobby taunted as he walked into the ring with me.

"Yeah, I'm ready to take you down. The better question is, are you ready for me?" I smiled sweetly at him. He just laughed, nodded his head, and it was on.

I had never sparred with Bobby before, because Tank had wanted to use him for this challenge, so I needed to feel him out a little. I knew Bobby had the most training in Krav Maga, so I was a little worried. After circling each other for a few seconds, we finally attacked. We went back and forth for a long time, and I was starting to run out of steam.

I was starting to wonder if I could actually do this, when I saw Bobby drop his arm just enough for me to take advantage. Before he could blink, I had disarmed him and thrown him to the ground. I'm really not sure who was more surprised; me, Bobby, or the rest of the guys. There was utter silence in the gym for a few seconds, and then the entire room went wild. I couldn't even describe how wonderful I felt.

"Way to go, Beautiful!" Lester yelled, as he picked me up and swung me around.

"That was pretty impressive, Bomber." Bobby came over and gave me a hug.

All the other guys came and got their Bomber hugs, too. After they'd all congratulated me, Tank was the only one left.

He came over and gave me a big hug, then whispered in my ear, "Proud of you Babe." He paused for a second before continuing. "I know that's exactly what he'd be saying if he were here right now."

Tears immediately sprang to my eyes, but I didn't let them fall. I smiled at him, thanked him, and took a few minutes to pull myself together. As soon as I was sure I wouldn't cry, I turned and faced three of my best friends.

That's what they had become in the past few months. Lula, Connie, and Mary Lou were still there, too, but these guys had done everything to make my separation from Ranger as easy as possible. Obviously, Ranger would always be my best friend, because he was my other half, but these guys, the girls, my Dad and Grandma had given me a family just when I needed it most. Granted, it was rather unorthodox, but I never did like being normal.

"So where are my prizes?" I asked, as I put both hands on my hips and started tapping my toes. Everyone started laughing, and the three of them headed towards a bench that held the presents. Wrapped presents... I knew they hadn't wrapped them. I mean, yes, they are great guys, but they were still guys.

Tank immediately put my curiosity to rest. "Lula wrapped them. For some reason, she was appalled we weren't going to, so she took it upon herself," he told me, obviously not understanding the whole point of opening a present.

"Well, I'll have to thank Lula later. Don't you guys know how fun it is to open gifts?" They all looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language, so I just rolled my eyes and pounced on my gifts.

For breaking out of the abandoned building, Tank had gotten me my own set of lock picks. For getting through the shooting range, Lester gave me a custom-made Elite Professional .38.

Tank had also gotten me a custom-made shoulder harness for my new .38, for getting through the driving course.

Finally, Bobby got me a brand new taser and new cuffs. I loved all my gifts, and hugged the guys, telling them how much I appreciated it. I was getting ready to grab my things so I could head up to shower, when I heard someone clear their throat.

I turned around and realized that all the other guys were still standing there, grinning at me. I tried to raise my eyebrow like Ranger did, but failed as usual. They took pity on me and finally spoke up.

"We decided to get you a gift from all of us," Hal explained. He walked over and handed me an envelope and a cake carrier. I was torn what to look at first, but the cake carrier won easily.

I was surprised and happy to find a beautiful pineapple upside down cake just waiting to be eaten. I actually hadn't had one since the last time Ella made one months ago, because I was trying to eat healthy. I knew I was going to decimate the temple tonight, though.

"Yummy. Thanks, guys!" I told them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't worry. Ella made it," Ram added.

"As long as I didn't make it, I'm pretty sure it will be delicious," I told then with a smile.

I heard a few of them chuckle, then I turned my attention to the envelope. I opened it up to find a gift certificate to the best spa in Trenton. It was enough to cover their most expensive treatment package, too. I was really touched the guys had done this for me.

"We've seen how hard you've been working, and thought you deserved something special," Cal explained.

I gave him a smile, then went and hugged every guy there. Since the next day was Saturday, I planned on taking advantage of my spa package and getting pampered, so that was exactly what I did.

A month later, five months after Ranger left, Tank sent me on my first client meeting without a member of the core team. I was completely freaked out about it, but he assured me he had complete faith in my abilities. I tried on at least fifteen different outfits before I finally broke down and called Ella to come help me decide. We decided on a Nine West suit, with a red contrast piped jacket and black pants. I spent an extra thirty minutes trying to tame my hair, finally putting my make up on, with four swipes of mascara. I needed all the courage I could get. Ella told me I looked wonderful, and wished me luck before I headed down to speak to Tank one last time.

Tank had made it clear he thought I could do this, but I knew he hadn't really had a choice, either. Lester and Bobby were out of town helping with a big take down in Boston, and Tank had gotten called away for an important meeting at the last minute. He was sending Manny with me in case the questions got too technical. I had learned a lot over the past five months, but I still wasn't comfortable with extremely technical questions.

Before we left, I asked Tank if everything was okay. I wasn't sure why, but I felt like something was off. I'd actually been feeling it for a few days now, but I hadn't been able to put my finger on the cause.

My stalker had pretty much gone silent, so I thought maybe it had something to do with him, but I wasn't sure. Tank just looked at me and told me I was going to be late, so I needed to get a move on. I was so nervous, I didn't even notice he'd never answered my question.

Manny was driving to the meeting because I needed to use all my concentration to focus on not hyperventilating. I was seriously wondering if Tank was out of his mind. This client could be one of the biggest that RangeMan had ever had, and he sent me to meet them alone.

The client was a small jewelry chain called Excelsior, which had about twenty different locations around the country, but they only sold extremely high-end jewelry. This account was worth millions of dollars a year, and Tank had given it to me because he felt I was ready.

Yes, I was ready, all right. I was ready to throw up. I tried to give myself a pep talk, but nothing was working.

"You know, Steph, I don't know what you're so worried about. We've already proven what a great team we were together when we got married, so you obviously have nothing to worry about," Manny told me with a smirk.

That actually made me giggle a little and helped ease the knot in my stomach.

"You're right, Manny. Thanks," I told him as we pulled up in front of the jewelry store.

I took a deep breath and told myself I could do this. I wasn't going to let Ranger and the rest of the guys down. I repeated this mantra until I was introduced to the owner, and we went into the conference room to make our presentation.

The owner of the jewelry store was an older man, probably in his late 60s, named Jess Graham. His son, Jason, was at the meeting, too, evidently being groomed to take over when his father retired. I was instantly charmed by Mr. Graham. He had an old Hollywood glamor to him that I found very appealing. He was very kind to me, and made me feel comfortable within minutes.

"So, Ms. Plum, how is it you came to work for RangeMan?" Mr Graham asked.

"First, please call me Stephanie. To answer your question, I met Mr. Manoso when I became a bounty hunter several years ago. In addition to my bounting hunting job, I worked for his company occasionally when they needed an extra hand. A few months ago, I had an unfortunate accident that made it impossible for me to keep my job as a bounty hunter, and Mr. Manoso offered me a full-time position within his company," I explained, hoping I'd made our relationship sound professional enough.

Jason decided to speak up when I finished. "So why is it that Mr. Manoso can't be here today? I would think he would want to be present, considering the amount of money he could possibly be making from us." He didn't seem annoyed or angry, just a little curious, and it really was a valid question.

"I assure you, Mr. Manoso would be here if he could. He still works with the government on a regular basis, and was called away approximately five months ago," I explained.

They both nodded in understanding, and we continued with the meeting. Everything was going pretty well until Murphy reared his ugly head. As I was handing each man the bid proposal, I accidentally caught my jacket on Mr. Graham's tie clip. I hadn't noticed, so when I went to sit back down, I yanked his tie forward, causing him to fall into the snacks that had been put in the middle of the table. Of course, I was instantly mortified and jumped up to help clean him off, but I evidently moved too fast and lost my balance. When I tried to steady myself with my hand, I accidentally knocked over the coffee in front of me and spilled it all over Manny's suit. Fortunately, Mr. Graham was a complete gentleman about it, and after I spent the next five minutes apologizing and cleaning up my mess, he still let me present my presentation.

Two hours later, I walked out of the office in shock. I had just closed a twelve million dollar a year deal. I was so stunned, I couldn't even say anything on the way back to the office.

I finally started wrapping my mind around it about the time we pulled into the garage. I jumped out of the car and ran to the elevator, anxious to get upstairs.

Manny laughed at me as I bounced up and down on my feet, willing the elevator to go faster. I was so proud of myself, and I thought the only thing that would make this day any better was if I could actually hear Ranger say, _'Proud of you, Babe.'_

As soon as the elevator doors opened, I dashed out and headed straight towards Tank's office, hoping he was back from his meeting. I saw the door was open and the light was on, so I ran inside without knocking.

As soon as I saw Tank's face, I knew something was wrong. When I saw Lester and Bobby sitting there, a day before they were supposed to come home, I knew it was really bad. I tried to focus my attention on Tank, willing him to tell me Ranger was fine.

"Bomber... Steph, why don't you sit down for a second," Tank said as he walked towards me.

I backed away from him, shaking my head. "No, Tank. Tell me what's going on. Is Ranger okay?" His blank face was firmly in place, so I had to wait until he said the words.

"Steph, Ranger is missing. He missed his last check in four days ago, and the mission was supposed to have been over the day before yesterday, but he still hasn't made any contact," Tank said quietly.

I looked at each of their faces, praying that it was a sick joke, that my mother's awful words weren't coming true, but all I saw was concern, fear, and uncertainty.

I tried to push the little black dots away and focus on what Bobby and Tank were saying, but my heart hurt too much and I couldn't seem to breathe. I felt my legs go out from under me, and the rest of the world faded to black.

TBC...

A big thanks to Connie and Jenny as usual. Their ideas and encouragement has been amazing.


	26. Chapter 26

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_As soon as the elevator doors opened, I dashed out and headed straight towards Tank's office, hoping he was back from his meeting. I saw the door was open and the light was on, so I ran inside without knocking._

As soon as I saw Tank's face, I knew something was wrong. When I saw Lester and Bobby sitting there, a day before they were supposed to come home, I knew it was really bad. I tried to focus my attention on Tank, willing him to tell me Ranger was fine.

"Bomber... Steph, why don't you sit down for a second," Tank said as he walked towards me.

I backed away from him, shaking my head. "No, Tank. Tell me what's going on. Is Ranger okay?" His blank face was firmly in place, so I had to wait until he said the words.

"Steph, Ranger is missing. He missed his last check in four days ago, and the mission was supposed to have been over the day before yesterday, but he still hasn't made any contact," Tank said quietly.

I looked at each of their faces, praying that it was a sick joke, that my mother's awful words weren't coming true, but all I saw was concern, fear, and uncertainty.

I tried to push the little black dots away and focus on what Bobby and Tank were saying, but my heart hurt too much and I couldn't seem to breathe. I felt my legs go out from under me, and the rest of the world faded to black.

**CHAPTER 26**

**SPOV**

As my world finally came back into view, I saw Bobby standing over me with a very concerned look on his face. That was all it took for me to remember what was going on. Ranger was missing. I closed my eyes and tried to pull myself together so I could find out more details. I tried to sit up, but Bobby pushed me back down.

"Take it easy, Steph. Give yourself a few minutes before you sit up," he told me.

I nodded my head and looked around the room to find Tank. As soon as my eyes found him, I started asking questions.

"What does that mean, he's missing? Are they sending in someone to search for him? If he missed his check in four days ago, why are you just telling me now?" I had more questions to ask but Tank cut me off.

"Steph, I've told you all we know right now. I didn't tell you about the missed check in because it happens regularly, and I didn't want to worry you. The meeting I told you I had to go to today was actually a conference call with his handler and some other people involved in the mission. They're a little confused themselves, because it seems like the mission was completed, but there's no sign of Ranger. The type of mission he was on isn't really acknowledged by the government, so they won't be sending anyone to search for him…" Tank tried to explain.

"WHAT? What do you mean no one is going to look for him?" I pushed Bobby out of my way so I could stand up and face Tank.

"Bomber, calm down. I said the government wouldn't help. Lester, Bobby, Ram, Junior, and I are going to go in and try to find him. We have some pretty good intelligence about where we think he might be being held," Tank told me. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down and focus. Focus on the goal. That's what Ranger has said in the past, and that's what I was going to do.

"Okay. Then tell me what I can do to help," I said, finally pulling myself back together.

"We need you to run RangeMan."

I stared at the three of them, wondering if they had all taken leave of their senses. I knew I had learned a lot, but I wasn't sure I was ready to take over RangeMan alone. I decided my insecurities weren't important right now, so I pushed them aside. Who knew I could use my amazing denial abilities in such a constructive way? I needed to do this for them if they were going to get Ranger back, no matter how scared I was.

"Of course. I'll do anything I can to help, and if that means running RangeMan, and you guys think I can do it, then that's what I'll do," I said, trying to sound more positive than I truly felt.

_Hopefully I won't run it into the ground, or God forbid, blow it up_, I thought to myself.

Lester laughed. "Beautiful, there is NO WAY possible you could destroy this business in a few weeks time."

Bobby, Tank, and I stared at him for a few seconds as he thought about what he'd said.

"Okay, so as long as you don't blow up the building, there's no way you can ruin the business in a few weeks," he amended.

I just rolled my eyes and turned back to Tank. "Tell me what I need to do so you guys can get on your way." I sounded much more calm and confident than I felt.

"We need to get our gear packed and ready. I need you to call a meeting of all personnel for 1500 hours so we can brief them on what's going on with Ranger and that you are in charge. I also think you should work out of Ranger's office while we're gone. It will give you more space, and will also convey the fact that you are in charge," Tank told me as he started grabbing things he needed so he could leave. He stopped for a minute and looked at me.

"Steph, I need you to promise you will keep a guy with you at all times. You still have someone after you, and I need to know you'll be safe. I'm going to make it completely clear to every one of the guys that your protection is the top priority. Also, I want you to keep training. We are going to bring your man back, but it will be a waste of time if something happens to you, because he would never survive losing you."

I was stunned. I never knew Tank could say so much. "I promise, Tank. I'll do everything I can to stay safe and keep training. Uh, one thing, though..." I paused, and he nodded, waiting for me to continue. "When is 1500 hours again?" I asked him. I still had trouble with military time for some reason. It just made no sense to me.

The guys started laughing. "It's 3:00 pm, Steph," Tank informed me. He shook his head, and the three men walked out of the office.

As I watched them walk away, I tried to process everything that had happened in the past hour. It had gone from being a great day to one of the worst in my life in less than an hour. I wrapped my fingers around the dog tags Ranger had given me, and sent a prayer up to anyone that was listening to keep him safe until Tank and the guys could find him.

I sat in the office for a few more minutes and gave myself a little pep talk. I could run RangeMan! I was NOT going to let Ranger or any of the guys down. I was going to prove that the faith they put in me was warranted. I could handle whatever came my way. I was surprised when I realized I actually believed I could do it. I could handle pretty much anything, I decided; anything except Ranger not coming home to me. I didn't know if I'd ever be able to survive that.

I shook my head, trying to clear it a little. I stood up, squared my shoulders, and headed out onto the main floor, ready to take charge. First, I needed to get a message out for all employees to come in for the meeting. Once that was taken care of, I went upstairs to change into my normal RangeMan uniform.

**TPOV**

I walked out of the office after filling Steph in on everything, making a mental list of everything I needed to do. The intel we had said Ranger was being held by La Familia Vega.

He had gone in to eliminate their leader, Jose Ortiz, because the DEA had picked up chatter that Ortiz was planning a strike against numerous government officials in Columbia. The Columbian government and the DEA were afraid they would have another incident like the Palace of Justice siege in 1993.

The hope was that there would be a struggle for power if Ortiz was killed, and this would squash any attempts on the lives of the government officials. Unfortunately, the hole left by Ortiz was quickly filled by Rodrigo Vasco, the man in charge of his discipline department.

It still amazed me how these cartels were often run like businesses, with different departments that focused on different parts of the business.

From what our source could gather, Ranger had succeeded in eliminating Ortiz, but was captured by Vasco before he could get out. We needed to get to Ranger fast, because Vasco was known for his twisted enjoyment of his job, which was inflicting pain, and apparently he was very good at it.

I knew we were throwing a lot on Bomber's shoulders, but we really didn't have a choice. The five of us were the only ones remotely qualified to go in and get Ranger out, and it would take all of us.

I had Vince and Woody on standby, in case we needed more fire power once we got down there and assessed the situation. I really did think the five of us would be enough, but I liked to plan ahead.

I could tell Steph was worried about taking over RangeMan, but I had no doubt she could do it. She had picked up more in the past few months than I did the first year I worked here. I was actually pretty impressed with how she handled herself today. Once the initial shock of learning Ranger was missing had worn off, she'd put her game face on and stepped to the plate. Ranger would have been proud. She's come a long way in the past few months. She is honestly more suited for the position as the head of RangeMan than I was. She could handle every facet of this job, whereas I had trouble when it came to the paperwork and dealing with the clients.

Now I just needed to bring her man home to her. I told her that Ranger wouldn't survive if something happened to her, and I know that with absolute certainty, but I also know the same is true for her. I didn't want to let down either of my friends. Steph had gone through more shit in the past six months than anyone I'd ever met, and she was still going strong. I shouldn't have been surprised, after how much she'd already been through in her life, but I think losing Ranger would be the one thing she wouldn't bounce back from. Honestly, I wasn't sure I would be able to, either.

Feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders, I finished packing my gear and headed to the bonds office to do the one thing I was dreading more than anything.

I had to tell Lula I was going, even though I'd promised her there wouldn't be any more missions. I knew she would understand, because she would do the same if Steph was in danger, but that knowledge didn't make it any easier.

**RPOV**

I opened my eyes, ignoring the searing pain in my back and feet. I looked around, trying to take in my surroundings and figure a way out of here. I was shackled to a wall in a five by five cell.

There was nothing in the cell with me. My shoes and shirt were gone, and I could see the damage that had already been done to my feet. I tried to remember exactly what had happened, but all I was getting were flashes of how I came to be here. I knew by the burning pain I felt on my back that I had been whipped, and I actually thought I remembered some of it, but things were still too fuzzy.

I took a deep breath and tried to center myself. It didn't matter how I'd gotten here. All that mattered was getting out. I'd promised Steph I would come back to her, and I intended to keep that promise. Babe, That was all I needed. Just the thought of her brought my world back into focus, and I started working on a plan to get out of here. A plan that would get me back to my Babe.

**TBC...**

**CONNIE & JENNY, YOU GIRLS ROCK!**


	27. Chapter 27

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_**RPOV**_

_I opened my eyes, ignoring the searing pain in my back and feet. I looked around, trying to take in my surroundings and figure out a way out of here. I was shackled to a wall in a five by five cell._

_There was nothing in the cell with me. My shoes and shirt were gone, and I could see the damage that had already been done to my feet. I tried to remember exactly what had happened, but all I was getting was flashes of how I came to be here. I knew by the burning pain I felt on my back that I had been whipped, and I actually thought I remembered some of it, but things were still really fuzzy._

_I took a deep breath and tried to center myself. It didn't matter how I'd gotten here. All that mattered was getting out. I'd promised Steph I would come back to her, and I intended to keep that promise. That was what I needed. Just the thought of her brought my world back into focus, and I started working on a plan to get out of here. A plan that would get me to get back to my Babe._

**CHAPTER 27**

**SPOV**

All the guys were in the conference room, waiting for Tank get there. They could all tell something was going on, but didn't know exactly what. I was just concentrating on not being sick. Not because I was worried about taking over RangeMan. For some reason, I had easily come to terms with that and was ready. No, I was terrified the guys wouldn't make it to Ranger in time. I kept telling myself not to go there, but for some reason, I just couldn't think about anything else.

I decided to try and focus on something, anything, other than the possibility that Ranger wasn't coming home to me. I looked at the clock again and found that anger could definitely trump fear. Where the hell was Tank, and what was taking so long? He needed to get his ass to this meeting. The sooner he finished the meeting, the sooner he could start looking for Ranger.

I got up, walked over to the window, and watched as Tank's Hummer pulled into the building. I couldn't believe he was out running around! I almost went into full-blown rhino mode before I realized where he'd probably been. He'd been saying goodbye to Lula.

It was like a slap in the face when I realized how selfish I was being. This wasn't just about me. Ranger was Tank's best friend. He was feeling this just as much as I was. Bobby, Lester, and Tank were like his brothers. And Lula, she had to watch her man leave on another mission. I, of all people, knew exactly how hard this was for her. I definitely needed to call her as soon as I was feeling a little more steady.

I hadn't even thought about Julie and the rest of his family. I would need to ask Tank if I should contact them. I didn't really know any of his family, other than Julie. I had met Celia briefly at the hospital when Scrog had shot Ranger, but that was it. I wasn't even sure I should be the one telling them.

I continued running this around in my mind until Tank walked into the office and took over.

**TPOV**

Lula had been as understanding as I knew she would. She hadn't yelled or gotten angry. She'd told me she understood why I needed to go after my best friend. She told me in the process of saving _my_ best friend, I would probably be saving _her_ best friend, too. She had been brave and supportive, and had only let one tear escape the entire time I was there. I also know that as soon as I left, she'd fallen apart. I heard her crying as soon as I closed the door. It broke my heart, but I didn't have any other choice.

I headed back to RangeMan, trying to get my head right. I needed to focus on finding Ranger and getting us all out safely. I finally had a good woman, and I wasn't about to lose what we had. I pulled into the garage and put my game face on. I noticed my team was already in the garage, packed and ready to go. The meeting wouldn't take more than five or ten minutes at the most. I just needed everyone to be clear that Bomber was in charge of RangeMan, and the guys were in charge of Bomber's safety.

I smiled at that. They might have some trouble trying to keep Bomber safe without any of us to run interference. Steph was good at distracting when she wanted to, and most of the guys here had at least a crush on her, if they weren't completely in love with her. She could talk most of them into anything, but they normally resisted, because the fear of going against Ranger or my orders kept them from letting her sweet talk them.

I had already talked to Cal and Hector, and put both of them in charge of her security. Cal was one scary looking dude, especially with that crazy tattoo, but I had seen him fall for Steph's charms before, too, and that's why I'd partnered Hector with him. Hector actually really seemed to like Steph, but he didn't fall for her charms as easily. He thought of her as a little sister, and he would do anything to keep her safe. I was hoping between the two of them, they could keep up with her until we got back.

I walked into the conference room and saw that Steph had managed to get everyone here quickly, which meant I just needed to say what I had to say and then head out. I knew the guys were downstairs waiting, and I was anxious to be on my way. I had no intention of telling them about Ranger or where we were going. Rangeman was run like the military, and in the military, soldiers didn't need to know why; they just needed to follow orders. I'm sure they would figure out what was up, but explaining myself wasn't necessary.

"Men. Effective immediately, Stephanie is in charge of all RangeMan business, including the other offices. The core team will be out of contact, and you are to follow Steph's orders to the letter, as if she were Ranger or myself. However, she still has a stalker out there, and because of this, I have assigned Cal and Hector to be in charge of her security. The only time you are to disregard Stephanie's orders are if they come in direct conflict with Cal and Hector's orders for her safety." I looked at Steph to see if I was going to get an argument from her, but was pleasantly surprised when she just made a face and rolled her eyes at me.

"Any questions?" I asked the room in general. I got no reply, so I dismissed the room. I had just turned around to walk out the door when I heard Steph's voice.

"Tank, can I speak to you for one second?"

Crap, I'd thought I would get away without having this fight with her. I don't have the time...

"Listen, Steph, I understand you're independent and all, but I need to know you'll be safe, and I thought..." I trailed off when she held up her hand.

"I have no problem with that, Tank. I'm not going to argue with you about something so trivial when I know you need to get going. I just wanted to ask if I should contact Julie or his family."

"Oh, sorry, Steph." I was seriously surprised and impressed with how reasonable she was being. Steph had really grown up over the past few months.

She just waved me off. "No worries, big guy. I just wanted to ask before you left, so I wouldn't make the wrong decision. I'm guessing you guys have some sort of protocol or something. I mean, Ranger is completely anal retentive and always has a plan for everything," she said.

I laughed. "Yes, he does have plan for something like this. Family is not to be notified unless he has been missing for more than three months or declared K.I.A.," I told her. I saw her face pale a little at this, but she didn't flinch.

"Okay. Let's get you boys on your way then," she told me, heading out of the conference room.

"Where are you going?" I asked, a little confused.

"I know the guys are waiting downstairs for you. I'm going to say goodbye to them," she explained as she pushed the elevator button.

I could tell by the tone of her voice there was no point in arguing with her, so I just stepped into the elevator behind her, anxious to get downstairs.

**SPOV**

I stepped off the elevator and saw the guys standing by Tank's Hummer and another SUV all packed and ready. I walked over to Ram and Junior first. I wasn't as close to them, but they still felt like part of my family. I gave them each a hug and told them to be safe.

I turned to Bobby next. "You better make sure every single one of you comes back in perfect working order. Do you understand me, Brown?" I asked, trying to do my best Ranger impression. I wanted them all to smile before they left, and evidently that did the trick.

"Yes, ma'am!" Bobby saluted me with a grin on his face.

I gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek before turning to Lester. "I know you think getting shot is fun, but if you wouldn't mind, I'd rather you didn't this time," I told him, referring to one of the first things he'd ever said to me.

"No worries, Bomber. I'll wait until I get home, so I can have you nurse me back to health." He wagged his eyebrows at me before he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight. "We'll bring him home, Steph. I promise," he whispered to me.

I didn't want to cry in front of them, so rather than answer, I nodded and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek as he put me down.

Finally, I turned to Tank. "You better not come back with so much as a hangnail, big guy. I do not want to be on the receiving end of Lula's rhino mode. Is that clear?" I asked. He smiled and nodded before I gave him a big hug and kiss.

"Okay, guys, you better get out of here. Be careful and please, bring my man home to me," I told them as they started to climb in the trucks. I walked over to the elevator and turned back for one last look. They were getting ready to pull out, so I gave them a finger wave before I climbed into the elevator.

I wanted to go straight up to seven and bawl my eyes out, but that wouldn't help anything, so instead, I went back to five and got to work. I spent the next few hours in Ranger's office, looking over what was scheduled for this week. I had a few meetings with clients, and one takedown that needed to be scheduled. I knew I would need backup at the meetings, and I wanted to get a quick refresher, so I emailed Manny, asking him to meet me at 9:00 in the morning. I also needed someone to head the take down. I figured Vince could handle it, but I decided to have Hal partner with him on it, in case Tank had to call Vince and Woody away. I sent an email to each of them and asked them to meet me tomorrow, too, then stood up and stretched.

It was almost 7:00, and I was beat, but I couldn't bring myself to go up to the apartment. I was starving. I knew Ella would make me anything I asked for, but I really needed some comfort food. I picked up the phone and called Lula. As soon as she picked up the phone, I could tell this was taking a toll on her, too.

"Hey, girl," she said without her normal enthusiasm.

I decided to get right to the point. "I was thinking about going to Pino's to get some comfort food. I can't sit around and wait alone, or I'll go out of my mind. You want to meet me?" I asked her.

She paused like she was thinking about it. "Yeah, girl. I think it would do me a world of good if I got out of this house for a while," she told me.

"I still have a guard detail, so I'll go grab him and meet you there in.. say twenty minutes?"

"Sounds like a plan," she replied, before she hung up without saying goodbye. Okay, either she was a lot more upset than I thought, or Tank and Ranger's phone etiquette was rubbing off on her.

I headed out of the office and into the control room to find out who was on Bombshell duty. Zip and Binkie were on monitors, so I figured I'd just ask them.

"Hey, guys. Who's on Bombshell duty tonight?" I asked them.

"Zero. He just went to the break room, I think," Binkie told me.

"Thanks. Can I get you guys anything?"

"No thanks, Bomber," they replied in unison. I just smiled and headed out to find Zero.

"Hey, Zero. I hear you're my shadow tonight," I said when I found him

He just nodded back. It was one of the things that drove me crazy about these guys. They communicated with as few words as possible, and I found it extremely annoying.

"Okay, well, I'm going to Pino's to meet Lula, so let's go."

He nodded again, causing me to roll my eyes in disgust. We headed to the garage in silence and climbed into his Explorer.

"So Zero, how's it going?" I asked, trying to break the silence.

"Fine, ma'am," he replied.

Ugh! Ma'am? Is he insane? "Zero, you can call me Steph, Stephanie, Bomber, or even Bombshell. DO NOT call me ma'am, though. It makes me feel old," I said, shuddering.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

"Zero, how long have you been out of the military?"

"Three years, ma'am."

Argh... "Don't call me ma'am, Zero. That's an order!" I thought maybe a different approach would get through to him.

"Yes, ma... I mean, okay, Steph," he finally replied.

I shook my head and decided to not to try and attempt any more conversations with Zero tonight. We pulled into the Pino's parking lot, and as usual, it was packed. I hadn't really been out in the 'Burg much since 'the incident,' and was suddenly a little apprehensive about going inside. I looked around the parking lot for any cars that could belong to Joe or any of his family. I hadn't really asked anyone about what the 'Burg thought about the situation, so I wasn't sure how this would go.

I climbed out of the car slowly, working up my nerve. I considered calling Lula back and having her meet me at the apartment with takeout, but quickly dismissed the idea. I really didn't want to be in the apartment. I had to face the 'Burg sometime, and now was as good a time as any. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and headed inside.

As soon as I walked in the door, the entire place went silent. I quickly found Lula at a table and headed her way, trying to ignore the huge pink elephant in the room: me. I sat down at the table with Zero right on my heels. When I slid into the booth, I realized there was a small buzz around the restaurant that was quickly getting louder. I looked around and saw that everyone was trying to not be obvious about talking about me. I looked at Lula, and we both rolled our eyes at the same time. This caused us to laugh, and I felt a little more relaxed.

"I already ordered for us. Figured the quicker the better. Hope he likes pizza, cause that's what I ordered," she told me, pointing at Zero.

He just nodded his head again. I was seriously thinking about making these guys take some sort of training class about communicating, since I was in charge.

"That's cool. I'm starving," I told her, and then we lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

"So, I'd ask how you're doing, but I already know the answer to that. Instead, I'll just ask if there's anything I can do," I said, breaking the silence.

She looked at me and gave me a watery smile, shaking her head. "I'm as good as I can be. I should be asking you the same question."

"I don't even know what I feel right now. I'm just trying to get through it without having a breakdown," I explained.

"Yeah, this definitely sucks. But they're the best, so I'm sure they'll be back home in no time," she said, trying to sound optimistic.

Our food arrived then, so we tabled the discussion. Really, there wasn't anything more to say about it. It just helped knowing that we were going through pretty much the same thing. We continued eating, making the usual small talk. We were on our last piece of pizza, and I was actually feeling a little bit more calm about the whole situation, when I noticed the entire restaurant had gone quiet again. I heard Lula's slight gasp as she saw who'd just come in the door.

Zero went on full alert immediately, and I figured he was thinking the same thing I was. I slowly turned around and saw Joe Morelli walking in the door with Mooch and a few other guys I recognized, but didn't know. I watched him scan the room, and saw the exact second his eyes landed on me. I felt fear wash through me, and I instinctively reached under my jacket and unclasped my shoulder holster. I watched the evil smile that spread across his face, and wondered what had happened to the Joe I'd known. I thought, for the first time, that I may have never known the real Morelli. Maybe the Joe I thought I knew was a disguise worn by the Morelli I was looking at right now.

He started to take a step towards our table, obviously wanting to say something. Zero was up and standing in between Joe and me in two seconds flat. I saw Mooch put his hand on Joe's shoulder and say something. Joe started laughing, but kept staring at me with the same cold and calculating eyes. A few cops that were on duty and eating dinner stood up and headed over to Joe to speak to him. I realized they were asking him to leave because of the mandatory restraining order that had been placed on him. I watched as anger and then something much scarier flashed across his face before he said something back to the officers. He took one last look at me before he turned around and headed out of the building with his friends in tow.

I blew out the breath I'd been holding, and watched as Zero relaxed a little and sat back down. The rest of Pino's started chattering about what had happened as soon as Joe walked out of the door.

I turned to Zero. "Why didn't we know he was coming? I thought there was someone on him? Did Tank take them off him without telling me?" I still couldn't seem to control the fear I felt at the sight of Joe. I knew RangeMan couldn't keep someone on him forever, but I thought they'd have at least warned me if they had taken his tail off.

"No, Steph. He still has a tail. I'm not sure why we didn't know he was coming. I'm going to call Cal and see what's going on, and have him send some back up. I doubt Joe stuck around, but I don't want to chance it," he told me as he pulled out his cell and called Cal.

I wanted to argue and say it wasn't necessary to send back up, but my fear wouldn't let me. I knew I was stronger and could actually defend myself this time, but every time I saw him, I forgot all about my training and was completely paralyzed with fear. I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of Lula's voice.

"You okay, girl?" she asked, obviously concerned.

"Yeah, I just wish I wasn't so afraid of him," I confessed.

She reached over and grabbed my hand. "Steph, there's nothing wrong with that. I still get scared when I hear the name Ramirez, and he's dead. You're doing great. Tank has told me over and over again how hard you've been working to get stronger, and how proud the guys are of you. You're one of the strongest women I know, Stephanie. You'll be okay. We'll both be okay, especially when our fine ass men come walking through our doors." She flashed me a smile as Zero sat back down.

"Cal and Hector are looking into exactly how Morelli slipped past his tail, but from what I can tell, they think he used Anthony as a decoy," he explained.

I guess I could see that, because they did look alike and they were definitely the same height and build. I just hoped this meant that since they'd pulled it off this one time, they wouldn't be able to get away with it again. I couldn't really understand why Joe would even feel the need to try and give them the slip, unless he was planning something and this was a practice run. The thought made me sick to my stomach, and I actually started to regret all the pizza I'd eaten tonight.

"Looks like your backup has arrived," Lula laughed as she stood up.

I turned around and looked at the door to see ten Rangemen standing in the doorway, headed towards me. I was so flabbergasted, I didn't even know what to say. I mean, there is a point where ridiculous becomes insane, and they had definitely reached that point. It looked like Pino's was being invaded, and from the looks on the customer's faces, I wasn't the only one that felt that way. I looked at all the guys headed towards me, and then at Zero, waiting for someone to give me an explanation. When no one said anything, I finally spoke up, looking directly at Cal.

"Are you INSANE? I DO NOT need eleven bodyguards. This is ridiculous."

I was trying to get myself geared up to go into rhino mode, but I looked at the serious expressions on their faces and instead of flipping out, I started laughing. I'm not sure if the situation was actually that funny, but my emotions had been on such a roller coaster today, I couldn't seem to control myself. I was laughing so hard I had tears rolling down my face, and I had to sit back down. When I finally got myself under control, I looked at Cal again.

"I agreed to protection, but this is going too far and you know it. I understand Tank left you guys in charge of my safety, but not even Ranger would do this, and he's a little obsessive about my safety." That got me a few raised eyebrows. Guess that was a RangeMan thing, too.

"Okay, he's A LOT obsessive about my safety, but even he wouldn't go this far." I looked at Cal, wondering if I was getting through to him.

After a few seconds, he gave me an almost nod and motioned for me to head out the door. I took that to mean he agreed and wouldn't be going overboard again, and headed out the door with everyone watching the parade of Merry Men, with me as the Grand Marshall.

**TBC...**

**As always, Thanks to Connie and Jenny who are most definitely the best beta's ever!**


	28. Chapter 28

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_I turned around and looked at the door to see ten Rangemen standing in the doorway, headed towards me. I was so flabbergasted, I didn't even know what to say. I mean, there is a point where ridiculous becomes insane, and they had definitely reached that point. It looked like Pino's was being invaded, and from the looks on the customer's faces, I wasn't the only one that felt that way. I looked at all the guys headed towards me, and then at Zero, waiting for someone to give me an explanation. When no one said anything, I finally spoke up, looking directly at Cal._

_"Are you INSANE? I DO NOT need eleven bodyguards. This is ridiculous."_

_I was trying to get myself geared up to go into rhino mode, but I looked at the serious expressions on their faces and instead of flipping out, I started laughing. I'm not sure if the situation was actually that funny, but my emotions had been on such a roller coaster today, I couldn't seem to control myself. I was laughing so hard I had tears coming down my face, and I had to sit back down. When I finally got myself under control, I looked at Cal again._

_"I agreed to protection, but this is going too far and you know it. I understand Tank left you guys in charge of my safety, but not even Ranger would do this, and he's a little obsessive about my safety." That got me a few raised eyebrows. Guess that was a RangeMan thing, too._

_"Okay, he's A LOT obsessive about my safety, but even he wouldn't go this far." I looked at Cal, wondering if I was getting through to him._

_After a few seconds, he gave me an almost nod and motioned for me to head out the door. I took that to mean he agreed and wouldn't be going overboard again, and headed out the door with everyone watching the parade of Merry Men, with me as the Grand Marshall_.

**CHAPTER 28**

**(Just a note: Hal Moore is a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran. I do not know him other than what I have read on Wikipedia, but I decided to base my character Jaguar on him.)**

**SPOV **

I walked into the apartment after getting back from Pino's, wishing more than anything that Ranger would be there waiting for me. I went through the motions of getting ready for bed. I was worried about Ranger and the guys, and I really couldn't think about anything else. I slid between the sheets and performed my nightly ritual of holding Ranger's dog tags and praying that he'd come home. This time, I added a prayer for each of the guys going to look for him, too.

I spent the night tossing and turning, trying to get a little sleep, but by 5:00, I decided to give up and head to the gym. After going through my normal workout, I headed up to the apartment to get ready for my first official day as the head of RangeMan. I already knew I needed to meet with a few of the guys to go over what needed to be done this week, but I wasn't sure what else I needed to do. I was still a little nervous about being in charge, but it paled in comparison to my worries about Ranger and the guys.

The next few days went by surprisingly quickly. I had a ton of work to do, and it didn't give me a lot of time to freak out about the fact that I hadn't heard from the guys. However, my ability to use denial as a survival technique was being stretched to its limit, and I felt like I was about to break. I hadn't told anyone that Ranger was missing. I think most of the guys had figured it out on their own, but outside of RangeMan, the only person that knew was Lula.

Three days after the guys left, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I wasn't sure what the story with my dad was, but Ranger seemed to be impressed by this Jaguar guy and the fact that my Dad was Black Falcon, so I picked up the phone and called my Daddy.

"Hello," he answered.

"Hey, Dad."

"Pumpkin. How are you?" he asked.

"Not so good. I was wondering if you could meet me for lunch, or better yet, could you come to RangeMan? I can have Ella make us something, and we can eat in the apartment," I told him.

"Sure, Steph. I'll be there in about thirty minutes," he told me.

"Okay, I'll see you then," I replied, my voice shaky. I called Ella as soon as we disconnected, and then the front desk to ask them to let my father in and send him up to the apartment.

With those tasks taken care of, I headed upstairs, because I needed a few minutes to myself. I just sat on the couch, waiting for my Dad to arrive, thinking about everything that had happened to me recently. I was trying to stay positive, but I was definitely running out of happy. Before I knew it, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Ella and my dad waiting on the other side. I let them both in and waited while Ella set everything up.

As soon as she closed the door, I turned to my Dad and started crying. He guided me to the couch and held me while I told him the whole story. I explained that I knew the guys probably couldn't contact me, but I was going crazy with worry.

"I remember that day at the courthouse when you mentioned the name Jaguar and said you were Black Falcon. It was the first time I'd ever seen Carlos seem to be in awe of anyone. I thought maybe you knew someone who could at least find out some information for me," I explained.

He sat there thinking for a while, before replying. "Okay, Steph. I'll make a few calls and see what I can learn. It may take me a day or two. I don't want you getting upset if you haven't heard from me by tonight, though. I know you're in a hurry to hear something, but sometimes it takes a little time to make these types of inquires. I promise I will get back to you as soon as I hear anything," he said sincerely.

I nodded my head and gave him a hug. "Anything you can do would help. I feel like I'm slowly drowning in fear and worry. It feels like I won't breathe again until I know Ranger's okay. I love him so much, Daddy. I can't lose him now... I just found him!"

I felt his arms tighten around me. "I understand, baby girl. I'll do everything I can. Now why don't you feed me so I can get out of here and get to work?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

I smiled and led him to the table to eat our lunch. We made small talk while we ate, but not about anything important. I wanted to ask about him and mom, but I honestly didn't have it in me to worry about anything else right now, so I didn't.

When we were finished eating, Dad got up to leave. He gave me a big hug. "You hang in there, Pumpkin. I know for a fact that Ranger and his men are the best of the best. They'll have him home to you before you know it," he reassured me.

"Thanks, Daddy. I really appreciate your help."

He just smiled. "I'll call you the minute I hear something, Pumpkin," he told me before walking out the door.

As soon as he left, my first thought was how great a nap would be right now, but I had things I needed to do if I was going to make sure Ranger had a company to come home to. With that thought in mind, I got on the elevator and went back downstairs.

I stopped in the comm room to see if I'd missed anything while I was at lunch. I saw Rex perched on Hal's shoulder and had to smile. Rex never really came back home with me after 'the incident.' The guys loved having him in the office, and he was kind of the unofficial mascot now. I didn't mind, though. I still got to see him every day, and he was completely spoiled with all the attention he got from all the guys.

Hal noticed me smiling at him and Rex when he turned around. "What's up, Bomber?"

"Nothing much. You do know you'll totally ruin the RangeMan badass image if anyone outside this office ever saw this, don't you?" I asked him, pointing at Rex.

"Well then, it's a good thing this building is so secure, isn't it?" he asked with a chuckle. "Besides, who wouldn't love the little guy?" He reached up and rubbed Rex's head.

I was kind of insulted. Whenever I tried to pick Rex up, he would always bite me, but he had never once bit any of the guys. I decided it was because the Merry Men where so scary, even Rex was afraid to piss them off. It made me feel better than the alternative, which was that he just liked them better.

"Anything going on?" I asked.

"Nope, it's all quiet. Vince and I have the takedown planned. I think he was looking for you to go over the details," he told me.

I nodded my head and went out to look for Vince. I found him in his cubicle, and we went over the plans. He and Hal seemed to have it under control, so I headed to the office and buried myself in the mounds of paperwork Tank had been letting pile up while Ranger was gone. I told myself it was because I didn't want Ranger to have to worry about anything when he got home, but the truth was, I wanted to keep myself as busy as possible. I felt like I was about to crawl out of my skin, I was so anxious, and I knew it would just get worse if I went upstairs to the apartment.

A little while later, I heard a knock at the door and looked up to find Ella. She had brought my dinner down to five since I hadn't made it up to seven yet. I thanked her, ate a few bites, and went back to work. I'm not sure how much longer I worked, but the next thing I heard was a ringing sound, and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

I opened my eyes and realized I was still sitting at Ranger's desk and had obviously been drooling all over myself. I sat up and peeled off the paperwork that had attached itself to my face, trying to wake up enough to be somewhat coherent. I didn't even want to think about what I might see if I looked in a mirror right now. I heard the ringing again, realized it was my cell phone, and quickly jumped up to find it. I knew it was on the desk somewhere, but it was under the mounds of paperwork I had been going through. I finally found it just as it quit ringing, so I quickly went to check the caller ID. I saw it was my dad, and called him right back.

"Hello," he answered.

"Hey, Dad. Sorry, I couldn't find my phone under the mess I've made of Ranger's desk," I explained.

"That's okay, Pumpkin. I know it's a little early, but I promised you I'd call you as soon as I heard something," he told me.

I immediately sat down in the chair, waiting to hear what he'd found out.

"I spoke to my friend, Hal. He knows of Ranger and the guys, and is looking into things. He did find out that Ranger's mission was in Columbia, and it's believe he was captured right after he completed the mission. Hal also managed to reach Tank through some unofficial channels, and all the guys are fine. They're having trouble locating where Ranger is being held, because he's being moved daily. No one seems to know exactly what they want with Ranger, but Hal is going to try and find out. He's retired from the military, but he still consults on various missions. He also works in the private security sector and has a lot of contacts at his disposal. He said he was going to do some more digging and see if there was anything he could do to help. That's all I know for now, but I wanted to keep you informed."

I felt a little better after Dad finished telling me everything. I knew he wasn't home safe yet, but knowing he and the guys were alive was something, and right now, I'd take whatever I could get.

"Thanks, Dad. You don't know how much that means to me At least I know he's alive and the guys are safe."

"You're welcome, Pumpkin. Is there a reason you're at Ranger's desk at five in the morning?" he asked, catching me off guard.

"Huh? Oh, well, I guess I fell asleep here last night doing paperwork," I told him.

"You need to take care of yourself, Stephanie," sounding like the worried father he apparently was.

"I know, Daddy. It's just hard to be in the apartment without Ranger there. I'm just trying to keep busy."

"I understand that, sweetie, but you still need to eat and sleep. I want you to go upstairs now and get a few hours of real sleep before you go back to work. Are we clear?" he told me in his best scolding 'daddy' voice.

I rolled my eyes, but agreed. "Okay. If you hear anything else, call me back, please," I told him, then we said our goodbyes.

I was exhausted, and since I was feeling a little less anxious, I decided to take my father's advice and get a few more hours of sleep before coming back downstairs. I went up to the apartment and got ready for bed on automatic pilot. I fell asleep as soon as I shut my eyes.

**RPOV**

This was the fourth time they had moved me in as many days. I wasn't sure why I was being moved, but at least I knew why I was being held. Rodrigo Vasco still seemed to believe some old rumors about me, or rather, one of my old identities.

In 1996, I went on my first undercover assignment for Delta Force. It involved the Narino Cartel in Columbia. They had come to power using violence that was considered extreme even for a drug cartel. It was even believed they were behind the siege to the Palace of Justice. After that slaughter, they declared war against all government officials that weren't in their pocket.

Their reign of violence quickly spread, and they began murdering anyone who spoke out against them. After almost twenty years, even the corrupt Columbian officials were tired of the violence, and they began to support a rival cartel in the hope they would take out the Narino Cartel. By 1996, Columbian officials had agreed to allow their police force to be trained by Delta Force and the CIA, in order to bring the cartel down.

I'd been tasked to infiltrate the cartel and find where many of the higher ups had gone into hiding. I did exactly that, but after the mission, my handlers had decided to keep my cover intact in case there was ever a need for me to come back. In order to make this happen, a rumor was told that I had escaped the Columbian National Police with a very large amount of the cartel's money right before it fell. I had actually used that cover identity on more than one occasion since. I always considered it pretty safe, because the Columbian Police had hunted down and killed all the major players, and even most of the minor ones. Even Steph knew about Marc Pardo.

Vasco recognized me from that mission and decided I needed to give the money back. Obviously since he was still alive, he was basically a nobody in that cartel when it fell apart, but his standing in this cartel had definitely improved since then. Now I had to figure out how exactly Marc Pardo could help me get out of here.

The government had set up a few dummy accounts in Marc Pardo's name that I could use in case I ever needed to take on the Marc Pardo identity. Using any of these accounts would send an alert to my handlers, but the problem was this wasn't a sanctioned mission, and I knew they would ignore the alert.

I personally had one dummy account set up for a situation like this, too. It would send an alert to Tank or whoever was running RangeMan at the time, but I knew there wasn't enough 'money' in it to satisfy Vasco. I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard the key being turned in my cell door. I assumed my blank face as one of Vasco's lackeys walked in the door. He had a scar that traveled from the top of his left eye down to his chin. I had started thinking of him as Scarface. I knew it wasn't all that original, but it amused me.

"Ah, Pardo, you are awake. Do you approve of you newest accommodations?" he asked, referring to the latest cell where I'd been moved.

I didn't bother answering, and was rewarded with a punch to the face. By this point, I could barely feel it. I had been beaten so much, parts of me were numb. My back had very little skin left that hadn't been whipped. It felt like I was laying on hot coals, but on the plus side, I was starting to get used to the pain. I could barely see out of my eyes, they were so swollen, and it seemed Vasco had taken a page out of Saddam's book and flogged the soles of my feet so much I could no longer stand. I knew I was running out of time, so I decided to use my dummy account in hopes that it would at least buy me a few extra days. Before the man had a chance to hit me again, I finally spoke up.

"Get Vasco. I have information he wants," I told Scarface.

"You'll give me the information, and I'll decide if it's what the boss wants," he sneered as he walked to the corner of the room to retrieve the cane with which he had been using to flog my feet. My S.E.R.E training had been conducted by the best of the best, and honestly, I probably could have held out a few more days, but for the first time ever, I had a reason to go home. I didn't want to waste any more time.

"I'll only give it to him," I told him with a shrug.

After spending another thirty minutes trying to convince me, he seemed to realize I wasn't going to speak again. He put his equipment aside and walked out the door. About an hour later, the door opened again, and I saw Scarface walk in, followed by Vasco.

"I understand you're ready to hand over what you stole?" he asked.

He acted as if I had stolen it from him. It was times like these I understood why my Babe enjoyed rolling her eyes so much.

"I only have easy access to one account, and it only has a few million in it. I have other accounts set up, but all transactions must be made in person," I explained. I wanted to access the dummy account immediately so RangeMan would be notified. This would also make Vasco believe I was cooperating. I was hoping that since he thought I needed to actually visit the other imaginary banks personally, he would give me a small amount of time to become presentable. If he did, it would give RangeMan time to bring in some much needed backup. It was a pretty weak plan, but it was all I had.

Vasco stood in silence watching me carefully. After a while, he stood up and began to head to the door. "Give me the account information, and if I like what I find, we will decide what to do about the rest," he told me before leaving.

_Well, it was a start,_ I thought.

**TBC...**

**Connie & Jenny, Thank you so much for all your help. **


	29. Chapter 29

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:  
**__"I understand you're ready to hand over what you stole?" he asked._

_He acted as if I had stolen it from him. It was times like these I understood why my Babe enjoyed rolling her eyes so much._

_"I only have easy access to one account, and it only has a few million in it. I have other accounts set up, but all transactions must be made in person," I explained. I wanted to access the dummy account immediately so RangeMan would be notified. This would also make Vasco believe I was cooperating. I was hoping that since he thought I needed to actually visit the other imaginary banks personally, he would give me a small amount of time to become presentable. If he did, it would give RangeMan time to bring in some much needed backup. It was a pretty weak plan, but it was all I had._

_Vasco stood in silence watching me carefully. After a while, he stood up and began to head to the door. "Give me the account information, and if I like what I find, we will decide what to do about the rest," he told me before leaving._

_Well, it was a start, I thought._

**CHAPTER 29**

**TPOV**

Finding Ranger was proving more difficult than I had expected. For some reason, Vasco had moved Ranger every day since we got here, and we seemed to show up at each location a few hours too late. To top it off, we had just run out of leads. I was beyond frustrated, and had started to worry I wouldn't get to him in time. We had just walked out of the third abandoned building where Ranger had been held, when a distinguished older man stepped up and introduced himself. He had three men with him that could easily have passed all the physical requirements it took to be a RangeMan, and I was immediately on alert.

"Ah, you must be Tank. I can see why you have that moniker," he said as he extended his hand to me.

The guys and I instantly reached for our guns. I watched as his men assumed the same positions facing us.

He put both his hands up a little. "Now now, boys. Let's play nice. I have a proposal I think you might be interested in. I believe you could use some help finding your friend, and I could use some help getting rid of a pesky little problem I have," he said, smiling.

I raised my eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "Maybe we could try a more civilized approach. My name is Miguel Torres. There is a coffee shop at the end of the block." He pointed down the street, and I saw the shop he was referring to. "If you and your men would accompany me, I believe we can come to an agreement that would be mutually beneficial. I assure you that you and your men are in no danger from me or mine, but I believe the gentleman you are here to find may be running out of time," he explained.

Although I wasn't thrilled with the prospect of meeting with this guy, I decided to follow my gut. I knew this man was all sorts of shady, but something was telling me he could help me find Ranger. I nodded my head and followed him to the coffee shop. He and I sat down at a table by ourselves, while our men sat at tables on either side of us. He nodded to the waitress, who seemed to know him, and asked if he could get us anything. I shook my head no. I wasn't here for tea, I just wanted to hear what he had to say. After he got his coffee and made some polite small talk with the waitress, he finally turned to me and got down to business.

"I see you are a man of very few words, so I'll just get to the point. I got a call this morning from an old friend. He goes by the name Jaguar, or at least, he did when I knew him. I am deeply indebted to him for reasons that aren't important to you. What is important is that he has called in that debt by asking me to help you find your friend, and I am more than willing to help you in anyway I can," he told me with a smile.

I wasn't buying it. Debt or no debt, this was not a generous man. "What's in it for you?" I asked.

He smiled back. "I want Rodrigo Vasco to disappear. He was not meant to take over La Familia. His violent tendencies are not beneficial for business, and we don't want another reign of terror like the one lead by the Narino Cartel," he explained.

I knew he was leaving something out, so I asked again. "Okay, so what's in it for you?"

A slow smile crept across his face, and I caught a glimpse of the inhumanity lurking beneath the surface. He may be well educated and refined, but he was still evil.

"Of course, with Rodrigo out of the picture, someone will have to take over, and I am extremely qualified for the position," he answered.

I took a deep breath and realized I was at a crossroads. I was either going to have to make a deal with the devil, or risk losing my best friend forever. I had no problem making the deal for Ranger, because it was something I knew he would do for me without hesitation. I was worried about the guys with me and how I could keep them safe, though.

"And why should I believe you will let us take our friend and leave? What's to stop you from killing all of us as soon as we take Rodrigo out? For that matter, why don't you take him out yourself?"

"Ah yes, well, in answer to your last question, I may have some muscle, but unfortunately, they are not highly trained, and due to Rodrigo's previous position in La Familia, he is surrounded by the best that can be bought. You have the skills required to make this happen, and I have the contacts," he answered. That didn't explain why I should believe he would let us leave, so I waited to see if he would answer that question.

"As for your first question, I can let you speak to Jaguar the next time he calls. I believe he can give you some information to make you feel a little more comfortable. I admit I may not care about the law, but I do pay my debts, and as I explained, I am deeply indebted to Jaguar. He told me his old partner, Black Falcon, has a vested interest in making sure your friend makes it home alive and well. He did ask me to tell you he was a close family friend of _'Ranger's Babe,'_ and that she was anxious for you all to come home," he finished.

When he had first mentioned Jaguar, I'd thought of a retired Army general that went by that code name. I was even more sure it was him when he mentioned Jaguar's partner, Black Falcon. The two of them were legends. Their exploits were told over and over by each class of Ranger recruits. Every Army Ranger strived to be half as good as them. When he mentioned Ranger's Babe, I honestly thought I might fall out of my chair in shock, and it was all I could do to keep my blank face on.

It made me a little nervous that he knew of Stephanie, even so little as the nickname Ranger calls her, but the confusion he showed when he said the name made me think he didn't really understand the message he'd given us. I noticed all my guys had gone completely still when he mentioned Ranger's Babe, obviously wondering the same thing I was, but I thought if anyone could find a way to help us out without even knowing what she was doing, it would be Bomber. Who was I to argue with the providence that was known as Stephanie Plum? I already knew I was going to make the deal, but I just hoped I wasn't selling my soul.

**RPOV  
**  
I'd been sitting in my cell for almost four hours after Vasco had come to speak to me, and I was beginning to wonder if he was going to take the bait on the dummy account. I had just started to nod off when I heard footsteps outside my door. I forced myself to sit up straight and lean against the wall. I was completely exhausted, but I wasn't about to give my captors the satisfaction of knowing it. I waited for the door to open, and was surprised to see Scarface walk in with a plate of food and water. I had only been allowed water since I was taken, and my body had passed the hunger stage, but the sight of the food brought it back in full force. He was followed by another man I hadn't seen before, who was holding an MK-47 pointed in my direction.

Scarface threw a pad of paper and a pen at me. "Give me the account information you told the Boss about. I'm going to release one arm for you to write with, but Julio will be keeping an eye on you, so don't try anything stupid." He set the food down on the other side of the room as he walked over and released my arm from the chains. I tried to pick up the pen, but my hands were so numb from being chained, I couldn't get them to work at first. I finally got control of them and wrote down the information he needed before he chained me back up and left the room, leaving Julio to guard me.

"I'll be back in a few, and if the account is what you say it is, then you can have the food."

He left the plate on the other side of the room when he walked out, but I could still see it and smell it, and it was honestly driving me crazy. I had two energy bars in my camos they had left me after I was captured, but that was all I'd eaten in days. They had also left my Babe's dog tags. I knew it was because they hadn't found them, and I was thankful for that. I had sewn them into one of the cargo pockets of my pants before I left for the mission, because I didn't want to risk losing them. As I waited for Scarface to come back, I slipped into what Steph has always called my zone.

Normally, I spent the time planning my day, going over things that needed to be done, and occasionally things I wanted to do with my Babe. This time I was only thinking about Steph. I was imagining us alone on the beach, staring out at the waves. I had my arms wrapped around her, with her back to my front, and I was just enjoying the feeling of being with her. I'd had this fantasy so many times in the past few days, I could almost smell the sea. I could feel my Babe's beautiful, wild curls being blown everywhere in the breeze, and if I breathed deep enough, I could even smell her scent, the one that was unique to only her. I was brought out of my musings when Scarface came back inside, followed by Julio.

"Well, it would seem you were telling the truth after all, Pardo, at least enough to grant you a small reprieve before I continue my fun," he told me with a scowl. "Vasco says you can have the food, and he's even instructed me to tend to your more visible wounds so you don't scare the bank officials when we visit them to collect the rest of the money you stole from him." He'd adjusted my chains as he spoke. Now my hands were no longer above my head, and I actually had enough range of movement, I could eat and sleep relatively comfortably, considering the circumstances.

Scarface slammed a bottle water in front of me and then pushed the food to me as well. Before he left, he decided my meal needed some extra flavoring, so he spit in it. I really didn't care at this point, and I had definitely eaten worse. As soon as the door shut, I began to eat. Even though I was starving, I knew better than to eat too fast. I didn't want to end up throwing it all up before it had time to digest.

As I ate my food, I actually moaned a few times because it tasted so good. I laughed when I realized I sounded like my Babe when she ate every meal placed in front of her, and for once, I could understand how she could appreciate food the way she does. As I slowly finished my plate, I prayed Tank would get my message, and it would give him what he needed to find me.

**SPOV  
**  
I had finally made it back to Ranger's desk after my early morning nap. I had skipped my workout for once, because I really didn't have the energy or time. I knew I had to finish a proposal for a client I was meeting this afternoon, so I was completely involved in my work when the phone rang.

"Yo," I answered, barely paying attention to the call.

"Bomber, this is Zero. You have a phone call from a Mr. Bradley Jordan. He insists that he can only speak with the person in charge of RangeMan," he explained.

"Okay, Zero, patch it through."

When the call was transferred, I answered, "This is Stephanie Plum."

"Miss Plum, my name is Bradley Jordan. I work for the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. We have an account that was set up with our bank that had specific instructions given if the account was ever accessed. It is a common thing with many of our accounts because of the amounts we are often holding for different clients," he explained.

I could feel the adrenaline start flowing through me the more he spoke. I had a feeling this was a message Ranger was trying to get to us. I focused on everything Mr. Jordan was saying.

"In this instance, the account required a specific code be given along with a name and a second code. After the correct information was given to us, we were to give access to the account to whomever was calling. Then we were to call RangeMan Inc. immediately to relay the information to the person running the company at the time," he continued.

My Spidey sense was on high alert. I had no doubt this was about Ranger, so I quickly found a pen and piece of paper to write down the message.

"Okay, Mr. Jordan, I am currently in charge of RangeMan, so you can give me the information," I told him.

He asked me a few basic security questions that I was able to answer, fortuntely, before he continued on.

"Yes, well, the first code was just sort of a pin number for us to grant the access, but the name was Marc Pardo, and the second code was 6642537."

The code meant nothing to me, but I did recognize the name Marc Pardo. It was the identity Ranger had used when Tank booked us a train ticket during the Scrog incident. I was absolutely positive this was about Ranger. I asked Mr. Jordan if that was all, and we said our goodbyes. As soon as we hung up, I dialed my Dad. I knew I couldn't get this message to Tank, but hopefully Dad's friend could.

**TBC...**

**Many, Many, Many thanks to Connie & Jen for all their hard work and help.**


	30. Chapter 30

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously**__:_

_My Spidey sense was on high alert. I had no doubt this was about Ranger, so I quickly found a pen and piece of paper to write down the message._

"Okay, Mr. Jordan, I am currently in charge of RangeMan, so you can give me the information," I told him.

_He asked me a few basic security questions that I was able to answer, fortuntely, before he continued on._

"Yes, well, the first code was just sort of a pin number for us to grant the access, but the name was Marc Pardo, and the second code was 6642537."

The code meant nothing to me, but I did recognize the name Marc Pardo. It was the identity Ranger had used when Tank booked us a train ticket during the Scrog incident. I was absolutely positive this was about Ranger. I asked Mr. Jordan if that was all, and we said our goodbyes. As soon as we hung up, I dialed my Dad. I knew I couldn't get this message to Tank, but hopefully Dad's friend could.

**CHAPTER 30**

**TPOV**

I had just gotten off the phone with Jaguar, and was still reeling from all he told me. Only Stephanie Plum could manage to save our asses without even knowing what she was doing. I couldn't believe Frank Plum was Black Falcon. You could have knocked me over with a feather, I was so stunned. I mean, Frank Plum was the last person in the world I would have imagined being the legendary Black Falcon. I'd have found it more believable if some one told me he was Captain America.

Jag also explained I could trust Torres to help get Ranger and the rest of us out of the country alive and well. Other than that, he said Torres was as dirty as they came. He knew Miguel planned to take over La Familia if we took Vasco out, and honestly believed Torres was the lesser of the two evils. He thought it would be better to help him take control than leave Vasco in charge.

I'd already known I would agree to help Torres, but my conversation with Jaguar made me feel a little more comfortable with the situation. I headed inside our hotel room, if that's what you wanted to call it, to speak with the guys.

"Okay, Tank, what's the deal?" Lester asked as soon as I walked in.

"I've decided to agree to Torres' terms and use his help to get to Ranger. We are meeting him in two hours," I explained. I could tell the guys weren't entirely comfortable with this, but I was still their superior, so they would follow my orders.

"Are you sure?" Bobby asked. Only Bobby or Lester would ever have the balls to question me, and since we weren't in the military anymore, I was okay with it. They kept me in check with the questions they asked, but I knew even if they didn't like the answers, they would still follow my orders.

"Was it _'The Jaguar'_ Torres was talking about?" Lester asked, cutting into Bobby's question.

I decided to put them out of their misery and tell them what Jaguar had said. Plus, I was dying to tell them who Black Falcon was. Yeah, I might have gotten teased if Bomber heard me talking right now, but it's not gossip when it's guys talking to guys. It's just bullshitting to pass the time. Right?

"Yes, it was _'The Jaguar.'_" I continued filling them in on what Jag had said about Torres, then moved on to the rest of the conversation I'd had with the man.

"Steph also got a message from Ranger and had Jaguar relay it to me." I told them about Ranger and the dummy account in case of a kidnapping, and the information about the name and code Steph had given Jaguar from Ranger. "I think the code refers to an op we ran in Nogales back in 2000. We had to find a client that had been kidnapped for a ransom. We set it up so the client had to show up at various banks in order to receive the money that was in his accounts. So if that is what he's referring to, I think he might have just bought us a little time. I'm sure Vasco hasn't been giving him the best treatment, so he might need a few days to heal before he can go to any banks. Hopefully that will be enough time for us to find him," I explained. They all acknowledged their understanding with a nod, so I continued on.

"Now here's the kicker. It would seem we already know Black Falcon. Actually, we've known him for a few years now." I smiled as I saw them looking at me questioningly.

"No way, man. If I'd met Black Falcon, I'd remember. Hell, I'd be bragging about it to all the guys in my old unit if I knew him," Ram spoke up.

I laughed and shook my head. "You guys aren't going to believe this, but Black Falcon is Frank Plum, Steph's dad."

The room went so quiet you could hear a pin drop, before all of them started talking at once.

"_Bullshit_!" Lester exclaimed.

"No way in Hell," Ram said, shaking his head.

"What the fuck ever," Junior added.

It was Bobby's comment that made me laugh, though. "Damn, that explains so much about Bomber," he commented, shaking his head.

All the guys looked at him for a second, and their eyes got wide as we processed this. We'd always known Steph had an amazing ability to figure things out by thinking outside the box, and that was what Black Falcon was known for. Some of the things he and Jaguar pulled off would have never even been considered by most military guys, but it worked for them. Just like it works for Steph.

Rumor was that Black Falcon was almost psychic because of his uncanny sense of intuition that had saved Jaguar and himself on more than one mission. Just like Steph's Spidey sense had saved her. Bobby was right... it would seem Stephanie Plum came by her unusual abilities naturally and straight from the best of the best. We sat there for a few minutes, letting that sink in before we started getting ready to meet Torres.

We were meeting him at the same coffee shop we'd met at the day before. I could feel the adrenaline start flowing as I stepped into the shop and sat down beside him. I loved this part of the job.

"So I see you've decided we can work together after all?" Torres asked as I sat down.

"Yeah, you've got yourself a deal. You tell us where we can find them, and we'll take care of there rest. I'm guessing my friend is being held in the same location as Vasco, correct?" I asked, wanting to get to the point. The quicker we got the information, the quicker we could get Ranger back.

"Yes, you are correct in your assumption. It would seem that Vasco has finally moved to a location where he feels safe, and has decided he doesn't need to move your friend any longer. For some reason, he seems to believe your friend is cooperating with him, and he's very happy about that. Do you know anything about that?" he asked, obviously fishing.

"I have no idea what my friend could have that he needs. I assumed he was taken as retribution for killing Ortiz," I told him while looking him straight in the eye. I wasn't about to tell him Ranger was Marc Pardo; he might end up wanting him for the same reasons Vasco did.

He looked back at me, but finally seemed to accept I didn't know anything else. "All right, then, I guess we should get down to business. Your friend is being held at a compound outside of Linares, and is very isolated. It was the main residence of my former boss, Ortiz. I have spent a great deal of time there in the past few years, and have made as detailed of a map as I can from memory," he told me as he handed me a rolled up sheet of paper.

I unrolled the paper and looked at what we were facing. "So there's only one way in?" I asked, trying not to show exactly how unhappy I was about it.

I was surprised when he smiled. "Yes, that is the general belief, that there is only one way in. I'm fairly certain Vasco only knows of the way I have drawn on the map," he explained.

I raised my eyebrow, waiting for him to tell me what he had evidently left off the map.

"I should explain that Ortiz and I were somewhat close. I do not mean as friends. In our business, you do not have friends, but we had several common interests. One such interest was in secret passageways and the different ways they could be concealed. As you are aware, tunnels can be very useful in our line of work, if you are in need of a fast getaway or to make sure no one finds the things you may value.

"Well, Ortiz was aware of the usefulness of these passageways, but he took them to another level. His entire compound is riddled with these passageways. Some lead to nowhere, and others can give you free access to the entire compound without ever being seen."

"So do you have any knowledge of the ones that can give us access to the compound?" I asked.

"Ortiz was very peculiar about this. Most of his men knew of the two main escape tunnels, but that is all they are aware of. He was very careful to make sure no one was aware of the actual secret passageways he had constructed. One weekend I was there, we had both had a great deal Aguardiente, and we spent the evening speaking about different ways to conceal passages. That man never could hold his liquor, and the more he drank, the more he talked. This night, he decided to show me some of his passageways. I paid very close attention, because I knew it could be of use to me in the future. The next morning, Ortiz didn't seem to remember anything about it, and I knew better than to remind him. If he thought I knew any of his secrets. he would have killed me without a second thought," he explained.

For the love of God, is this man ever going to get to the point? Here I am, ready to go to into battle, and he's turned all Chatty Kathy on me. He seemed to be in love with the sound of his own voice, and it was all I could do not to roll my eyes and scream, _'Get on with it already, you blowhard'_.

I noticed Lester out of the corner of my eye, pretending to fall asleep. It took my many years of training not to bust out laughing when Lester let out what sounded like a very loud snore. Torres didn't seem to notice as he continued on with his ridiculously boring story. I had completely zoned out for almost ten minutes, when I realized he was finally telling me something useful.

"The best passageway to use is this one," he explained as he began to draw it onto the paper. "It is the only one that travels throughout the house, and has an entrance that isn't on the main grounds. There is a rundown cabin in the woods about two miles from the compound. No one pays it any mind, because to all appearances, it should fall down any day. The structure is a little more stable than it appears, and the passageway is accessed by turning the knob on the side of of the fireplace. Once you make it to the main compound, you should be able to transverse most of the house in this passageway. You should be careful not to get lost, though," he told me with a chuckle. "I believe your friend is probably being held in the cells under the house, and unfortunately, the passageways do not go down that far, but they should make one part of your mission much easier. yes?" he asked as he handed me the map with the passageway drawn on it.

**LPOV**

Bobby and I were staring at each other, wondering exactly the same thing: was this dumbass ever going to shut the fuck up and get to the point? After the longest and most boring lecture on secret passageways, he finally told us what we were there for. He had joked about us getting lost in the passages, but that was something we didn't need to worry about, thanks to my latest toys. I had gotten us the latest in GPS. It could keep track of all our movements, down to a little more than a foot, which was good, since Bobby had a worse sense of direction than Stevie Wonder. He laid out the design of the compound and the locations of the passageway we would use, and then got up to leave. Before walking out, he turned back to Tank with one final thought.

"Call me and let me know when you begin your mission. I will need to start things running on my side as well," he told Tank.

I was wondering what he had to do, considering it looked like we were doing all the heavy lifting, but I really didn't care, so I quickly moved on and took up the seat Torres left empty.

"Okay, so it seems like a pretty simple extraction," I said, looking at Tank.

"I agree. The passageways are going to save us a lot of time and cut down the risks. I think getting in will be easy, but we should set Ram up in a sniper position outside the main entrance, just in case we need to leave through the front door because the back is blocked," he explained.

We spent the next hour planning the extraction. The information Torres had given us on the compound was invaluable, as long as it was good intel. I didn't think Torres would lie about the way into the compound, because he really did want us to take out Vasco. Lying would only hurt his cause. We decided on 0200 as go time, so we all headed back to the hotel to get our gear packed and ready. We knew we would probably have to bug out as soon as the mission was completed, so we packed up and headed to the compound at 0100.

There was a small air strip about five miles from the compound, and Tank already had our extraction scheduled for 0430, giving us exactly two and a half hours to get to Ranger and take out Vasco. The closer we got to the compound, the more the adrenaline started to flow, and I thought about how much I loved doing shit like this. I was starting to get a little too old to be at my best, but I wasn't over the hill yet. I was completely in combat mode when the truck came to a stop about three miles from the compound. We were hiking the rest of the way in to the rundown shack, and Ram was hiking into a position in front of the main compound. We got all our gear and headed out. Operation"Rescue Bossman" was a go.

**TBC...**

**Connie you have really become an amazing beta. I'm so glad you were the one that was kind enough to help me when I first posted my plea. Thank you so much for everything. **

**Jenny, every time I get an email back from you I think "¡Andale! ¡Andale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Yii-hah!" You are one fast editor and incredibly good too. :D**


	31. Chapter 31

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_"Okay, so it seems like a pretty simple extraction," I said, looking at Tank._

_"I agree. The passageways are going to save us a lot of time and cut down the risks. I think getting in will be easy, but we should set Ram up in a sniper position outside the main entrance, just in case we need to leave through the front door because the back is blocked," he explained._

_We spent the next hour planning the extraction. The information Torres had given us on the compound was invaluable, as long as it was good intel. I didn't think Torres would lie about the way into the compound, because he really did want us to take out Vasco. Lying would only hurt his cause. We decided on 0200 as go time, so we all headed back to the hotel to get our gear packed and ready. We knew we would probably have to bug out as soon as the mission was completed, so we packed up and headed to the compound at 0100._

_There was a small air strip about five miles from the compound, and Tank already had our extraction scheduled for 0430, giving us exactly two and a half hours to get to Ranger and take out Vasco. The closer we got to the compound, the more the adrenaline started to flow, and I thought about how much I loved doing shit like this. I was starting to get a little too old to be at my best, but I wasn't over the hill yet. I was completely in combat mode when the truck came to a stop about three miles from the compound. We were hiking the rest of the way in to the rundown shack, and Ram was hiking into a position in front of the main compound. We got all our gear and headed out__._

**CHAPTER 31**

**RPOV**

As I sat in my cell, I had a lot of time to think about things. Of course, most of my thoughts were centered around a curly brunette who had better be safely tucked in my apartment at RangeMan right now. I thought of the future I wanted with her, and realized that as long as I had Stephanie, I didn't need anything else. I knew it was late, but I couldn't sleep. I wasn't sure why, but I felt like something was going to happen, and I needed to be ready.

This was the first time I'd been left in one location for more than a day. Scarface hadn't returned after giving me my dinner last night, but Julio has come in and given me small meals twice today. It looked like I had possibly bought some time with my lie, and hoped it was enough for Tank and the guys to get to me. I knew they would probably be able to figure out what country I was in, and maybe who had me, but I figured it might take them a few days to figure out where I was being held.

I couldn't stand up, because my feet were broken in so many places from the floggings, and I didn't think I could get out of here on my own. Instead of worrying about my injuries, I let my mind wander back to Stephanie and what our life would be like if I managed to get out of this hell hole.

I was brought out of my thoughts by the sound of gunfire. I didn't know who it could be, because there was no way Tank could have gotten here already. I couldn't stand up, and I was still chained to the wall without anything to use as protection, so I was basically a sitting duck. As I listened to the battle waging around me, I wondered if I would make it out of here and back to a life I never thought I'd want, but now wanted more than anything in the world.

**TPOV**

The shack was just where Torres had said it would be, as well as the access to the passageway. We were all wired for sound, so once we made it to the main compound, we waited for Ram to acknowledge that he was in position. Once he was in position, then we would get to work. As far as Torres could figure, Vasco had at least fifteen guards posted around the compound, and they were all military-trained, so we needed to try and take as many out as quickly and quietly as possible. As soon as the guards realized they were under attack, we would be in for a serious fight.

"I'm in position," I heard Ram say.

"Acknowledged," I replied to Ram. I immediately placed a call to Torres, letting him know we were in play, then turned to the rest of the guys and signaled it was go time.

Junior and Lester turned right at the next passageway, and headed up to the room Torres told us Vasco should be in. He was evidently extremely paranoid and never let anyone sleep in a bed with him, so we knew we didn't need to worry about innocents. The exit to the passageway they were in opened right next to Torres' bed, and hopefully by this time, he would be asleep. The plan was for them to take him out, using a silencer to avoid alerting his guards, while Bobby and I got into position and reconned the entrance to the basement where Ranger was being held.

After Les and Junior broke off, Bobby and I continued down the main passageway a few hundred yards. Then we turned left and headed to an exit that would bring us out right beside the entrance to the basement. As we got closer to the exit, I slowed down, taking up a position that allowed me to see out the small opening into the hall where the guards were standing. Just as I came to a complete stop, I heard Lester in my ear.

"Vasco terminated. Headed your way."

_So far so good,_ I thought. "Acknowledged. I have visual on three guards outside the entrance to the cells. No way around them. We'll take them down." I told them all.

"Roger that. ETA two minutes," Lester replied. Since Lester was the only one with the silencer we decided to wait until he could join us and see if he could take the guards out without alerting the few remaining guards. Ram would take out any guards he could see outside.

"Ram, On my mark"

"Acknowledged," Ram replied.

Bobby and I waited on Les and Junior to catch up with us. While we went in after Ranger, Junior would provide cover fire from the passageway. We weren't sure what kind of shape Ranger was in, so we decided to have at least two people available to carry him if necessary. The other person would provide cover fire until we got back to the passageway. If only things always went the way we planned.

**BPOV**

The adrenaline was coursing through me, causing me to forget for a second why I'd taken a step back from this side of our business. I knew I was getting too old to do this, but I loved this part. I stood completely still, channeling the adrenaline the way we had all been taught. Focusing on the goal. I felt Les and Junior come up behind us and signal that they were ready.

Tank signaled Ram then looked at us and gave the signal for Junior to provide cover and for Les to try and take out the guards with the silencer. Tank and I were right behind him in case he couldn't get all three. Les had the first two guards down before Tank and I even stepped out of the passageway. Unfortunately, the third guard was in a position that provided him a little cover, and that was all he needed to start returning fire.

As soon as he started shooting, Tank and I began returning fire. Les dropped the silencer and started using his automatic. The guards that had been in front of the door were down for the count, so we made it to the door quickly. Les took up a position to cover the door, while Tank and I quickly headed down the steps towards the basement where the cells were. I heard more gunfire as soon as we got to the bottom, so I figured the cavalry had arrived and our exit from this place wasn't going to be quite as easy as our infiltration. I was surprised to find there weren't any guards downstairs.

Tank and I made our way through the basement, clearing each room we passed. From what I could see, there were twelve holding cells. I just prayed we'd find Ranger in one of them. We had gone through eight rooms, and I was starting to worry Torres had set us up. From the look on Tank's face, he felt the same way. We hit the ninth room the same way we had gone through the first eight. Tank kicked the door in, and I stepped inside to clear the room, but this time was different. As soon as I stepped inside, relief washed through me when I realized this room wasn't empty. Ranger was staring back at me. He looked pretty bad, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered at this point.

"How the hell did you get here so quickly" he asked, his voice sounding like sandpaper.

Tank and I quickly rushed towards him. I immediately began assessing his injuries. He had obviously been beaten, because his face was a mess. I could also see that he had been whipped. I probed his body, looking for other broken bones, and found that he probably had a few broken ribs, too. The only injuries that would hinder his ability to get out of here were the ones to his feet. We were definitely going to have to carry him out, because there was no way he'd be walking.

**RPOV**

I heard doors being broken down about a minute after the gunfire started. I wasn't sure how many holding cells there were here, and I didn't know if I was the only one being held, so I just sat and waited. I saw shadows under my door about two seconds before it was kicked in. I automatically tensed, ready for what was to come, but instead of Vasco or his henchmen as I'd expected to see, I saw Tank and Bobby running towards me.

"How the hell did you get here so quickly?" I asked, completely stunned they had been able to find me and plan a rescue in such a short time. It couldn't have been much more than twenty-four hours since I'd given Vasco the account information.

Tank laughed. "You aren't going to believe it, but first, let's get you out of here, and then we'll tell you all about it," he told me as he shot my chains off the wall.

I was a little confused, but the how didn't matter right now. I needed to focus on getting out of here and back to my Babe.

"We've got him. We'll be headed back up in less than a minute," I heard Tank say to whoever was upstairs, obviously providing cover for the two of them.

"There's no way he's going to be able to walk. He's obviously been flogged, and his feet are broken in numerous places. He's probably got a few broken ribs and a concussion, too," Bobby told Tank as he assessed my injuries.

Tank nodded and looked at me. "Looks like I'll be carrying you, Boss. You can watch my back for me, though." He smiled as he gave me a handgun.

I nodded and took the gun, knowing he'd only given it to me because I felt exposed without it. My male pride was screaming at me to get off my ass and try to walk, but I knew I'd just be endangering all of our lives if I tried. I swallowed my pride and let him throw me over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, then we headed out of my cell.

**TPOV  
**  
"Looks like I'll be carrying you, Boss. You can watch my back for me, though," I told him as I handed him my Glock. I knew he'd probably not be able to see anything the way I would be carrying him, but I needed to give him some control. Ranger was the type of CO every soldier wanted. He truly believed he should be the first soldier on the field and the last to leave. He thrived on being in charge, never hesitated, and had saved our asses more times than I could count. Unfortunately, he wasn't in any condition to lead us now. I knew he wouldn't fight me, because he'd always do what was best for the mission, but that didn't make giving up his control any easier for him. Giving him a gun gave him a little bit of control I knew he desperately needed.

As soon as I had him over my shoulder, I contacted the rest of the guys. "We're headed upstairs now. What are we walking into?" I asked, wondering how hard it was going to be to get out of here.

"Junior and I have taken out four. I'm pinned down by at least three. Junior is trying to get a better position so he can take them out," Lester answered.

"I've taken out five. I haven't had a visual on any others in almost two minutes," Ram added, meaning they'd probably all headed inside.

By my count, that meant we had eleven down, three engaged, and one unaccounted for, if Vasco's intel was correct.

"Roger that. If Vasco was right, that means we've got one hostile unaccounted for," I told them as we reached the top of the steps.

"We need some cover fire; we're ready to come through the door. Bobby will be in front, and I've got Ranger. We're going to break left when we're through the door, and go for the alcove right beside the passageway." I hated having Bobby go first, because the medic should always be last, but of the two of us I was the only one that could carry Ranger and still use my gun, so we didn't have a choice.

"Roger that. Commencing cover fire on my mark," Lester said. He waited a few seconds for us to get into position, and then I heard him again. "Go,Go,Go!"

I heard a barrage of gunfire erupt as Bobby threw the door open and sprinted to the alcove, with me just a few steps behind him. We quickly took cover, and I assessed exactly what needed to be done to get us all back to the passageway. As I took in the situation, I saw movement in the corner of my eye. A guard with a scar down his face was coming through what was obviously another secret passageway. I guess Torres wasn't the only one that knew about the passageways. I realized, almost too late, that he was carrying a grenade launcher, and it was aimed right at Junior, who had moved a few yards out of the passageway to get a better angle on the other guards.

"Junior, grenade, look out!" I yelled into the mouthpiece just before the guard fired. He dove out of the way just as it exploded right in front of the passageway. I realized immediately we wouldn't be able to get back through it.

"Junior, you hurt?" Bobby asked.

"No, I'm good," he replied.

I let out a sigh of relief, and then quickly decided what needed to be done now. "Looks like we're going out the front door, boys. The passageway is completely destroyed, so we're going to have to switch to plan Bravo," I told them. It's always good to have a few backup plans in place, just in case, and since we seemed to have all the remaining guards in one place, we just needed someone to come in behind them to take them out.

"Roger that. I'm on my way," Ram replied.

I knew it would take a minute or two for him to get here from his perch, but it was the best way. I sat Ranger down so he could defend himself while we exchanged fire with the remaining guards.

"Ram's on his way in. He'll come in behind them and take them out." I explained to Ranger so he knew what was going on.

He nodded his acknowledgement as he pulled himself up against the wall of the alcove, ready for whatever. After a few minutes of exchanging fire, I knew that if Ram didn't take them out soon, we were going to run out of ammo. A few seconds later, I heard three quick shots, and the gunfire abruptly ended. I knew we had one more guard to take out, but I was hoping that since he was the last one left, he'd do the sensible thing and surrender. Of course, I was wrong.

"Three guards eliminated," Ram said over the earpiece.

I saw the remaining guard stand up and start to back away from us, and I thought he was bugging out. I couldn't see where he was looking because of the position I was in, and didn't realize until it was too late that he was zeroing in on a target and firing. I started to raise my gun to shoot him, but heard a loud pop beside me, then I watched as the blood trickled down his forehead right before he hit the ground. I turned to see Ranger lowering his gun with a slight smile on his face; he evidently knew that guard personally.

"All guards down," I said. I didn't have much time to think about anything else, because I heard Lester yell in my ear.

"_Fuck_! Bobby get your ass over here _now_! Ram's been hit, and he's losing blood fast!" he yelled.

_Shit!_ I thought as I grabbed Ranger and sprinted over to where Bobby was already working on Ram.

**TBC...**

**As always thanks to Connie & Jenny you two are the best beta's a girl could ask for. :D**


	32. Chapter 32

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:  
**__"Three guards eliminated," Ram said over the earpiece._

I saw the remaining guard stand up and start to back away from us, and I thought he was bugging out. I couldn't see where he was looking because of the position I was in, and didn't realize until it was too late that he was zeroing in on a target and firing. I started to raise my gun to shoot him, but heard a loud pop beside me, then I watched as the blood trickled down his forehead right before he hit the ground. I turned to see Ranger lowering his gun with a slight smile on his face; he evidently knew that guard personally.

_"All guards down," I said. I didn't have much time to think about anything else, because I heard Lester yell in my ear._

"Fuck! Bobby get your ass over here now! Ram's been hit, and he's losing blood fast!" he yelled.

Shit! I thought as I grabbed Ranger and sprinted over to where Bobby was already working on Ram.

**CHAPTER 32**

**LPOV**

All the gunfire had abruptly ended and I was starting to look around for the final guard, when I heard one shot and watched as Ram fell over, grabbing his stomach. I sprinted to his position, trying to stay low until I heard Tank say all the guards were down.

As soon as I got to Ram, I knew it was bad. Blood was pouring out of his stomach at a very alarming rate. I put my hand down, trying to stop the flow. I realized he was wearing a vest, but he'd obviously been shot with an armor-penetrating round. "_Fuck!_ Bobby get your ass over here _now_! Ram's been hit, and he's losing blood fast!" I yelled.

I heard the guys running in our direction, and I looked up to see Bobby run towards us and start working on Ram. Tank wasn't far behind him, carrying Ranger. _Christ!_ I thought when I looked at Ranger. His back barely had any skin left on it, he'd been whipped so much. I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard Bobby yelling at me to help him get the vest off Ram. As soon as it was off, he began packing Ram's wound with bandages I knew were coated with clotting factors to help slow the bleeding. He pulled an IV from the small medical bag attached to his back, then inserted it into Ram's arm while I held the bandages in place.

"Tank, we've got to get him out of here ASAP," Bobby said after he'd done all he could.

Tank nodded. "I'll head out and get the truck and bring it out front. I think we got all the guards, but I want Junior to stay with you guys as a lookout. He can keep an eye out for anyone we might have missed. You and Les get Ranger and Ram out front as quickly as you can, and I'll be back with the truck in fifteen minutes."

I knew that meant he was going to have to sprint the whole way, but he would be back in fifteen minutes. Of that I had no doubt.

"Ranger, I know you can't walk, so I need you to come over here and take Lester's place. He and I need to put a stretcher together so we can carry Ram out," Bobby ordered.

Ranger nodded and scooted over to take over my position. As soon as he had his hands in place, Bobby and I got to work.

**RPOV**

I watched as the guys got the stretcher ready. It was killing me that I couldn't do anything else, but if I got in the way, it would only make things worse. This was one of the hardest parts of combat... watching someone you've sweat and bleed with barely holding on. Knowing the only reason he was here was because I had gotten captured made it even worse. I wouldn't let myself wallow in self pity, though, because it was a waste of time and energy, neither of which I was in excess of right now.

The guys got the stretcher ready, and then got Ram situated on it. About this time, Bobby finally realized there was no way we were all going out front at the same time. I had already come to this conclusion, but I'd decided to wait and see what Bobby said. He was the medic, and I had no problem leaving him in charge of the situation.

"Fuck. We don't have enough hands," he said.

I noticed Lester look at him questioningly.

"You and I have to carry the stretcher, and Junior is on lookout, so he can't carry Ranger," Bobby explained.

We didn't have time for me to let them work this out. "Give me your automatic, Bobby. You guys take Ram out. Once you've got him outside, Bobby can stay with him, and then Les and Junior can come back and get me. I may not be able to walk, but I can still pull a trigger," I ordered, knowing they would do as I said. "Now move. Tank should be here in five minutes." They all jumped into action, and before I knew it, I was sitting there alone, once again waiting to be rescued. In less than two minutes, Les and Junior came sprinting back through the door.

"You ready Ranger? Ram's not doing too well, and Tank just radioed and said he was two minutes out," Les explained.

"Then let's go," I told him. I hated being this helpless, but we needed to get Ram medical attention, so I swallowed my pride again and let Les take control. He picked me up as gently as possible and took off down the hallway to the front of the house with Junior in the lead. Tank was pulling up as we came outside, so I was quickly loaded into the truck so they could focus on Ram. As soon as he was loaded, the guys jumped in and we sped off.

"We'll be at the airstrip in five minutes. I've changed our flight plan. Instead of flying up to Panama, we are flying to Quito, Ecuador. It's closer and has the Hospital Metropolitano, which is one of the best hosiptals in the area. It will still be a two-hour trip, but it's the closest medical facility, since we're out here in BFE," Tank explained, obviously unhappy with how long it would take.

No one replied, because we all knew this was the only option if we were going to get Ram the medical attention he needed in time. Four minutes later, we pulled into the airstrip and were quickly loaded onto the helicopter and on our way to the hospital. We watched as Bobby frantically worked on Ram, trying to keep him stable until we got to the hospital.

Lester and Tank had tried to give me some basic first aid, but I pushed them away, telling them to help Bobby. About an hour into the flight, Ram flatlined. It was pretty tense for a few minutes, but fortunately, Bobby had more medical equipment in the helicopter, so he was able to electrically shock Ram's heart. He finally found a pulse after almost a minute, but it was still thready. The rest of the flight was made in silence. Ram was as stable as Bobby could make him, but we could all see how bad he was doing.

As my adrenaline started to wear off, I started feeling all the injuries I had. None of them were important compared to Ram, but I was still in a lot of pain. I was also more exhausted than I could ever remember being. It really was a good thing this was my last mission, because I was definitely getting too old for this shit. I was lucky I'd made it out alive this time. I just prayed it wasn't at the cost of Ram's life.

Tank radioed that we were getting ready to land at the hospital helipad, and the emergency personnel were standing by. As soon as we landed, Ram was whisked away to surgery, and I was put on another stretcher. They started an IV on me, and I realized when I finally started to drift off that they had obviously given me some painkillers.

**SPOV**

I sat down in Ranger's chair after my morning workout and got straight to work. I was ninety percent of the way through the mess on Ranger's desk, and I planned on finishing it today. I'd spent so much time in this office the past few days, I was starting to forget what the outside world looked like.

I hadn't heard anything else about the guys. My dad said his friend had called in a favor, but he didn't know what it was or anything else that would help lessen my worry. I had just filed the finalized copy of the jewelry store contract I'd landed and was sitting back down, thinking how proud I was about it, when my cell phone rang.

"Yo!" I said without looking at the caller ID.

"Hey, Steph. It's Tank," he said, and I could hear the tension in his voice.

I completely froze, terrified about what he was going to tell me.

"We got Ranger." From the tone of his voice, I knew he was leaving something out.

"What aren't you telling me? Is he okay? Are all the guys all right?" I asked, getting more and more upset by the second.

"Ranger will be fine. He's pretty beat up and has a few broken bones, but nothing life threatening. I don't know the extent yet, because the doctors haven't been back out to tell us. They gave him a sedative to set some of the bones, so he's out. I'm sure he'll call as soon as he wakes up," he answered. There was a pause, then he continued. "Ram took a shot to the stomach, and he's in surgery now. It's bad," he finally told me.

"Shit. Wasn't he wearing his vest?" I asked, my concern for Ram suddenly overshadowing the relief that Ranger was alive and well. I wanted Ranger home, but I didn't want to lose any of the guys in the process.

"Yeah, but it was evidently an armor-penetrating round," he explained.

It was just then I realized I had no idea where they were. "Where are you guys?" I asked, wanting to jump on the first flight there, where ever it was.

"We're in Quito, Ecuador. It was the nearest hospital to the compound Ranger was being held in. And I already know what you're thinking. I know you want to see him, Steph, but you're all we have to run RangeMan. We _need_ you there. I'm sure he will be out of here as soon as he can convince the doctors to let him go," he told me.

"Okay, Tank. Just make sure he calls me. I need to hear his voice." I wanted to argue, but realized he was right. Ugh, I hated being responsible!

"Okay, Steph, I gotta get off here and see if I can find something out about Ram," Tank said.

"Okay. Do you want me to call Lula and let her know you're okay?" I asked before he could hang up.

I heard him sigh. "I should have done that all ready. Yeah, Steph, that would be great, if you don't mind. I was so focused on Ranger and Ram, I haven't had a chance to think about much else."

"No worries, big guy. I got your back," I told him, and let myself smile for the first time in what felt like years. "Please call me as soon as you hear anything about Ram. If you can't call, text."

"I will, Steph. Thanks," he said.

"No, thank you, Tank," I told him sincerely, but he'd already hung up the phone.

I sat there for a few minutes, trying to get my thoughts together. I kept swinging back and forth between emotions. I was elated Ranger was alive and would be home soon one second, and then I was terrified we could lose Ram the next. I finally reigned in my emotions enough to call Lula. She needed to know Tank was okay. I picked up my phone and dialed her number.

"Hey, girl. How's it hangin?" she asked trying to sound like her normal self, but I could hear the strain in her voice.

"I just got a phone call from Tank. He's fine. They got Ranger out of Colombia," I told her.

"_Thank Jesus_!" she screamed. "When will they be home? I need to see my man! Why didn't he call me himself? What, is he too busy to take the time to put my mind at ease?"

I could tell she was heading for rhino mode, so I quickly interrupted her. "_Lula_!" I yelled. She quieted down immediately. "He and the guys are in Ecuador. Ram was shot, and it looks really bad, so they had to go to the nearest medical facility. He didn't call you because he just got to the hospital, and he's trying to find out if Ram is going to make it or not," I explained.

"Oh, well, shit! Why didn't you tell me that? Have me get all bent out of shape when one of the guys' life is in the balance," she huffed.

I knew she wasn't really upset with me; Lula dealt with stress by deflecting, and that's what she was doing now. "Listen, Lula, I don't know anything else, but Tank said he would at least text me when he found out Ram's condition. I'm going to go update the guys about what's going on, so I'll call you back as soon as I hear anything else, okay?"

"Okay, girl, you go take care of business, and if you talk to my Tankie, you tell him he's got some good Lula Lovin' waitin' on him when he gets back. I ain't talkin the normal Lula Lovin'. I'm talking the tie me down, spank my ass, kinky lovin' I know he likes so much," she told me cheerfully.

I cringed. That was definitely T-M-I. "Uh, okay. I'll do that." Not in a million freakin years would I ever, ever, ever say anything remotely close to that to Tank. I was considering having my brain bleached after just hearing about it. I'd have to cut my tongue out if I ever said it. I shook my head, trying to clear it of the disturbing thoughts that were going through it.

I stood up and headed out of the office to find Hal. Since the guys had left, I'd unofficially made Hal my next in charge. He'd helped me at the few meetings I'd been to, and he looked out for me without asking any questions. I hadn't told anyone where the guys were, or why they were gone. I didn't see the point until I had concrete information to give them. I knew most of them had figured it out by now, but it was time for me to let them know what was going on. Ram was like a brother to them, and they needed to know he had been injured. I saw him standing in the comm room talking to Woody.

"Hal, round up as many of the guys as you can find, and have them meet me in Conference Room Two in thirty," I told him.

He nodded his acknowledgment and took off to call the guys. I wanted to go up to seven and be alone, but I knew as soon as I was alone, all the emotions I'd been pushing aside for the past few days would come pouring out, and thirty minutes wouldn't be enough time for me to pull myself back together. Instead, I went into the conference room and waited for the guys to arrive.

Once everyone was there, I stood at the head of the table and cleared my throat. Everyone immediately stopped talking and looked at me.

"I don't know what you guys have or haven't figured out on your own, but Ranger was captured six days ago after completing his last mission. Tank, Bobby, Lester, Ram, and Junior went down to try and extract him. I just got a call from Tank an hour ago, informing me they succeeded in finding and extracting Ranger," I explained.

Everyone started cheering, but before they could get too excited, I held my hand up.

"Unfortunately, Ram was shot in the stomach by an armor-penetrating round and is now at the hospital in surgery. I won't lie to you, Tank said it doesn't look good." I sighed and looked around the room at all the somber faces. "He's in surgery now, and Tank assured me he'd update me as soon as he knew something, but I thought you all needed to know what was going on. I'll tell you the minute I hear something," I finished explaining before I dismissed them.

I went back to Ranger's office and decided I would finish the little bit of paperwork that was left. I wanted Ranger all to myself when he came back, and I didn't want him to have to worry about a thing.

**TBC...**

**My sincere thanks to Connie & Jenny since without them this story would be a total mess.**


	33. Chapter 33

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_Once everyone was there, I stood at the head of the table and cleared my throat. Everyone immediately stopped talking and looked at me._

"I don't know what you guys have or haven't figured out on your own, but Ranger was captured six days ago after completing his last mission. Tank, Bobby, Lester, Ram, and Junior went down to try and extract him. I just got a call from Tank an hour ago, informing me they succeeded in finding and extracting Ranger," I explained.

Everyone started cheering, but before they could get too excited, I held my hand up.

"Unfortunately, Ram was shot in the stomach by an armor-penetrating round and is now at the hospital in surgery. I won't lie to you, Tank said it doesn't look good." I sighed and looked around the room at all the somber faces. "He's in surgery now, and Tank assured me he'd update me as soon as he knew something, but I thought you all needed to know what was going on. I'll tell you the minute I hear something," I finished explaining before I dismissed them.

I went back to Ranger's office and decided I would finish the little bit of paperwork that was left. I wanted Ranger all to myself when he came back, and I didn't want him to have to worry about a thing.

**CHAPTER 33**

**RPOV**

I slowly became aware of that stupid beeping sound that goes along with a heart monitor, which meant I was in the hospital. I had been having a wonderful dream, involving Steph's legs wrapped around my waist as I slowly fucked her on a deserted beach. Waking up in a hospital room after a dream like that was like having ice cold water thrown on you in the middle of an orgasm. I sighed and slowly opened my eyes, taking in the room. My eyes finally stopped when I found Tank sitting at the foot of my bed with a slight grin on his face.

"You looked like you were having a really good dream there, Rangeman," Tank said.

Shit, I didn't _even_ want to know what I'd done to give him that impression. I realized it was probably the major hard-on I'd woken up with. It had been way too long since I had been buried in Steph, and for some reason, that's what I wanted more than anything right now. I shook my head, trying to clear it of all the wonderfully dirty thoughts, and tried to focus on something else.

"Fuck off, smartass. How's Ram?" I growled.

"He pulled through. They lost him two more times on the table, but he's stable now and out of surgery. He's in the ICU right now and still hasn't regained consciousness, but the doctors think he will make a complete recovery," he answered seriously.

"Thank God. All the rest of the guys okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, Junior had a few scrapes and scratches that needed cleaned up from the grenade explosion, but he didn't even need any stitches. The rest of us are fine, aside from being exhausted," he said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I feel you. I could sleep for a month and it wouldn't be long enough. We're getting way too old for this shit," I said, laughing.

"Amen, brother!" he replied with a smile.

"How's Steph? You get her stalker?" I asked. It had been over five months since I'd seen her, and I was a little worried about what I'd find. I was afraid she might have moved on and found someone else. I'd never expected to be gone so long.

"She's great, man, other than being worried sick about your sorry ass. You're going to be so proud of her. She has worked her ass off while you were gone. She never goes anywhere without her gun. She's in amazing shape. We started training her in Krav Maga, and she's really taken to it. She can break into and out of handcuffs and rooms. Hector actually recorded a lot of things so you could see how she's progressed," he told me, obviously proud of her accomplishments.

I felt the knot that had been in my chest slowly relax when I realized she was still waiting on me. I could go home now and make all my dreams a reality. I knew everything would be okay as long as I had my Babe.

"The stalker has gone oddly quiet, but I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of him," he continued.

I was starting to relax, when I realized something. "So if you're all down here, who the hell is running RangeMan?" I asked, noticing for the first time that my entire my core team was here. I was definitely slipping.

I had never seen Tank smile as much as he was right then. "Stephanie, of course," he told me smugly.

I waited for him to explain more, but evidently he thought I was just going to have to find out about the changes my Babe had gone through on my own, which was fine with me. I looked forward to learning about every second I'd missed over the past six months.

"So are you going to tell me how you got to me so quickly?" I asked, since he obviously wasn't going to tell me any more about Steph.

He gave me another smile. "It wasn't that quickly. We came down as soon as we heard you'd been captured. Your handlers told us the situation, and even told us who they thought had you. We got down here and kept getting leads about where you were being held, but every time we showed up, we were a few hours too late. He had just moved you. I was walking out of the third location when I was approached by a guy named Torres, saying he could help me. Long story short, your woman saved all our asses," he smirked.

My surprise was evident as I waited for him to explain.

"Did you know who Frank Plum was?" he asked me.

I smiled. "Yeah, I found out the day of the preliminary hearing. He mentioned Jaguar. I was shocked, but you know, after I thought about it, I realized it really explains a lot about Steph."

He laughed. "That's exactly what Bobby said, and you're both right. Anyway, she was upset she hadn't heard from us, and called her dad and asked if he could do anything. Next thing I know, this guy is telling me he owes Jaguar a favor. He'll tell us where to find you as long as we take out Vasco. I agreed to it after I spoke to Jaguar myself. Honestly, I don't know if we'd have ever found you without this guy's help, because all our leads had dried up," he explained, shaking his head.

We were quiet for a while, just lost in our own thoughts, when I decided I had better get down to business.

"Okay, so what's my damage? When can I get the hell out of here, and how secure is this location?" I asked.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were in a hurry to get home, Bossman," Tank teased.

I didn't have the energy to banter, so I just raised my eyebrow. It normally worked, and this time was no exception.

"Fine, ruin my fun," he told me with a sigh. "You have four broken ribs, a mild concussion, but the two worst injuries, as you know, are your back and your feet. The doctors think you'll have to get some skin grafts on your back, the damage is so extensive, and you'll have to be careful about not getting it infected until it's healed. Your feet are going to need surgery. Maybe more than one. It's going to be a while until you're up and around on your own, Rangeman." As he spoke, he looked worried about my reaction.

I had actually already figured this would be the case. I didn't like the thought of being confined, but I had already accepted the probability.

"Okay, so when can I get the hell out of here? When will Ram be stable enough to travel? We can get medical treatment back home. I don't care how much it costs, I want to get the fuck out of here," I demanded.

"I figured you'd say that, so I'm in the process of having the RangeMan jet flown down here with a medical team. They said Ram would be stable enough to travel by tomorrow evening, as long as he's regained consciousness, so we should be able to leave by then." He stood up when he heard a knock on the door.

"I'm going to check on Ram and then get a few hours of sleep. That was Junior. He'll be outside on guard if you need anything. Les is outside Ram's door, so you can relax." He handed me a cell. "Call your woman. She's worried sick about you," he told me and walked out of the room.

My woman! I loved the sound of that!

**SPOV**

I had finally finished all the paperwork on Ranger's desk, and was looking around for something else to do. I didn't want to go upstairs until I heard from Tank about Ram, so I decided to do a few searches to pass the time. About ten minutes after I started my first search, my phone rang, and I saw it was Tank.

"Yo!" I said, hoping he had good news for me.

"Babe?" I heard Ranger's voice. He sounded rough and exhausted, but it was his voice. I couldn't stop the tears that started to form.

"Carlos, is it really you? Are you okay?" I asked, feeling as if I could finally breathe again.

"Yeah, Babe, it's really me. I'll be fine. Nothing a few bandaids can't fix," he said, laughing.

"Thank God. I've missed you so much. I love you, Carlos," I told him, trying to keep myself from completely breaking down. He didn't need me to be a basket case. I could do that after we got off the phone.

"I love you, too, Babe. So much. I can't even tell you how much I 've missed you. I can't wait to come home. Tank told me you've been really busy. I can't wait to see everything you've accomplished."

"Yeah, I've been busy. I had to do something, or else I'd have driven myself and everyone around me crazy with worry," I told him, laughing.

"I'm sorry I put you through this, Babe," he said, obviously feeling guilty.

"Don't be ridiculous, Carlos. You did what you had to do, and now you're coming home to me. That's all that matters. Speaking of which, when _are_ you coming home?" I asked.

"Tank has the jet headed down here with a medical team, and as long as Ram is conscious, we should be able to leave tomorrow night sometime. So hopefully, I'll be home in two days."

Shit. I'd forgotten all about Ram the second I heard Carlos' voice. "How is Ram? I can't believe I completely forgot to ask about him. I feel awful."

"He's okay. Last I heard, he was still unconscious, but he's stable, and the doctors think he'll make a complete recovery," he explained. I could hear the relief in his voice. Ranger would never have forgiven himself if Ram hadn't made it.

"That's great. I'm so relieved, and the rest of the guys will be, too."

I heard him yawn, and realized he was obviously completely exhausted and needed to sleep.

"Listen, Carlos, I'm going to tell the guys about Ram and call Lula so she knows when Tank will be home. You sound exhausted. Get some sleep. I can't wait to see you."

"Okay, Babe. I'll make sure you know when we're suppose to land. I love you, Stephanie."

The fact that he'd used my full name told me exactly how serious he was being. It brought a sloppy smile to my face. "I Love you too, Carlos," I whispered before hanging up the phone.

I sat there a few more minutes, letting the relief wash over me, before I picked up the phone and called Lula. I told her when Tank would be home, and I could hear the happiness I was feeling reflected in her voice, too.

After hanging up with Lula, I walked out into the main office and realized that most of the guys were still here from the meeting earlier. They were all looking at me expectantly.

"Ram made it through surgery. He's still unconscious, but the doctors expect him to make a full recovery," I explained.

The mood in the room abruptly changed from somber to excited in the blink of an eye. The guys were slapping each other on the back and giving high fives. It was a little comical.

"As long as he is conscious by tomorrow night, they will fly back up here and hopefully be here by the next morning. Ranger and Ram will obviously be going to the hospital, but at least they will be home," I told them before turning to Hal.

"Hal, you're going to need to set up a roster for guard duty. I figure they will each be in separate rooms, so we will need two guards outside of each room," I told him.

"I'll take care of it, Bomber. The guys and I are going to go have a few beers to celebrate. Do you want to come along?" Hal asked.

"No thanks, Hal, but you guys have a good time," I told them, smiling.

I just wanted to go upstairs and crash. The stress of running RangeMan and worrying if Carlos would come home had taken a huge toll on me, and I needed to decompress. With that thought in mind, I headed upstairs with the intention of having a complete meltdown, followed by some cake, and a long hot shower, then finally a very, very, very long night of sleep.

**TPOV**

_Finally,_ I thought, as the plane touched down in Trenton. We were finally home. Granted, we weren't all in great shape, but we were home, and everyone would be okay. I could finally see my woman, get a good meal, and then I planned on sleeping until the next century. This is exactly why I didn't do this crap anymore. It was mentally and physically exhausting, and I just couldn't hang anymore. It sucks to have the fact that I'm getting older thrown in my face, especially when I think I'm still twenty years old.

I smiled at the thought while I dragged my tired body up out of my seat and moved to the exit. As I walked through the exit, I realized we had a pretty big welcoming committee. There were guys from RangeMan, Stephanie and her Dad, ah, and there she was. There was my woman, smiling at me. As soon as I hit the tarmac, she was running towards me. I smiled as she jumped into my arms and kissed me for all she was worth. _Damn, this woman was something,_ I thought as we broke apart.

I looked around and saw all the guys greeting each other happily. I watched as my best friend was wheeled off the plane, and saw the woman I thought of as my little sister standing beside him with tears streaming down her face. The happiness and love on both their faces was evident for the world to see. God, it was good to be home!

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie & Jenny! What can I say? You girls Rock!**


	34. Chapter 34

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_**TPOV**_

_Finally, I thought, as the plane touched down in Trenton. We were finally home. Granted, we weren't all in great shape, but we were home, and everyone would be okay. I could finally see my woman, get a good meal, and then I planned on sleeping until the next century. This is exactly why I didn't do this crap anymore. It was mentally and physically exhausting, and I just couldn't hang anymore. It sucks to have the fact that I'm getting older thrown in my face, especially when I think I'm still twenty years old._

_I smiled at the thought while I dragged my tired body up out of my seat and moved to the exit. As I walked through the exit, I realized we had a pretty big welcoming committee. There were guys from RangeMan, Stephanie and her Dad, ah, and there she was. There was my woman, smiling at me. As soon as I hit the tarmac, she was running towards me. I smiled as she jumped into my arms and kissed me for all she was worth. Damn, this woman was something, I thought as we broke apart._

_I looked around and saw all the guys greeting each other happily. I watched as my best friend was wheeled off the plane, and saw the woman I thought of as my little sister standing beside him with tears streaming down her face. The happiness and love on both their faces was evident for the world to see. God, it was good to be home!_

**CHAPTER 34**

**SPOV**

I watched as Carlos was wheeled off the plane and down to the tarmac. As soon as the wheels of his wheelchair hit the ground, I was by his side. I had already been told about all his injuries, including his back and feet, but seeing them was a lot different than hearing about them. The only time I'd seen Ranger this vulnerable was when he was in the hospital after he had been shot by Scrog. I didn't even try to stop the tears that were streaming down my face, I was so happy he was home.

"Carlos, how are you feeling?"

"Okay, Babe. Just need a couple of bandaids," he told me, trying to smile.

I knew he was full of it, but I didn't see a reason to point that out. He and Ram were both being taken to a private hospital outside of Trenton. Evidently, RangeMan used it regularly, because it was privately owned and allowed guards without any questions. Ram was being taken there in an ambulance, but Carlos, being the stubborn man he is, refused to ride in an ambulance, so we were driving him in one of the Explorers. Hal and Woody got him loaded into the back of the truck, and I climbed in beside him. There was no way I was letting this man out of my sight for at least a month, possibly even two or three.

"So... how are you really feeling?"

"I'm tired and sore, but I couldn't be any happier than I am right now," he told me as he twined his fingers with mine.

"Happy? What are you so happy about?" I asked, confused.

"You were waiting for me when I got off the plane. I was afraid you might have changed your mind while I was gone," he explained, barely above a whisper.

I had never seen Carlos insecure about anything. I could tell it made him very uncomfortable, too, so I thought I'd lighten the mood a little and reassure him. "Hey, buster, I told you I wanted my someday. And if you remember, you are now the sole property of Stephanie Michele Plum. That in itself makes it worth the five month wait," I told him, grinning.

He smiled back and raised an eyebrow. "I'm your property, am I? Should I have it stamped across my forehead?"

"Nah.. I was thinking maybe you could get it tattooed on your ass," I said with a smug grin.

He barked with laughter, and I noticed Woody and Hal both were looking at him in shock, causing me to roll my eyes. Did they think he was always in combat mode?

"Okay, Babe, I'll make you a deal. I'll get 'Property of Stephanie Plum' tattooed on my ass, and you can get 'Property of Carlos Manoso' tattooed on yours." He gave me a wolf grin.

I knew how he thought I would probably react to his statement, so I decided to throw him off a little. Instead of instantly getting upset or trying to back-peddle, I pretended to be considering it. I watched as his eyes widened in shock, and then I started laughing.

"Hah! Gotcha. You actually thought I was considering it, didn't you?"

"No," he grumbled, but was still smiling. I loved his smile. When Ranger smiled, it was like a light was turned on. He was always drop dead gorgeous, but when he smiled, he was downright breathtaking.

"Yes, you did. Don't lie," I said, smiling as we pulled up to the hospital.

"Yeah, well, don't let it go to your head. I'm not at my best right now," he told me with a wink as Hal and Woody helped him into a wheelchair.

I wheeled him into the hospital. They were expecting us, so he was taken straight to a room and told the doctor would come see him in a few minutes. A few minutes meant a few hours at all the hospitals I'd ever been to, but evidently that wasn't the case here.

Less than five minutes later, a doctor walked into the room and began checking out Ranger's injuries. He removed some of the bandages on his back, and I got my first glimpse of how bad it actually looked. I couldn't control the gasp that escaped, and Ranger turned to look at me.

"Babe, you don't have to be in here if you don't want to. I'll be okay."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm not going anywhere, Carlos. I just hadn't realized how bad your back was," I explained. I could feel my heart breaking as I finally started to realize everything he'd dealt with while on the mission. I'd been so focused on getting him home, I hadn't thought much about what he had been through, what those monsters had done to him. Looking at his back, or what was left of it, made me realize he had been through hell and back.

I sat down in the chair and waited for the doctor to finish his examination. As soon as he was done, a few specialists came in and told us what to expect over the next few weeks. Carlos would be having at least two surgeries before he could go home. I knew he wasn't happy about it, but he was taking it well, and I was relieved. I didn't want to have to fight with him about getting the treatment he needed.

After the doctors were finished, Carlos lay down and got comfortable. I scooted my chair over to his bed so I could touch him, if only to reassure myself that he was really there. He didn't seem real unless I was touching him. I grabbed his hand, relaxing a little, and before I knew it, we were both fast asleep.

**RPOV**

I woke up feeling someone squeezing my hand. I opened my eyes and saw Steph asleep in the chair beside my bed, holding my hand. She must have been dreaming, because she seemed to be very restless and kept squeezing my hand tighter, as if she was reassuring herself that I was there. I looked at her and felt an amazing sense of peace. My world had never felt so right.

I knew the next few weeks were going to be a complete pain in my ass. Between skin grafts and the surgery on my foot, I was going to be stuck in this stupid hospital much longer than I wanted to be, but right now, at this moment, I couldn't care less. I had the woman of my dreams beside me, and that was all that mattered.

I lay in bed, watching my Babe sleep for a while, until someone opened my door. I knew Ram and I each had two guards on our doors, but I still tensed up. Steph opened her eyes just as Tank walked into my room, followed by Lula.

"Bomber, Boss, how ya doing?" he asked us.

"I'm okay. What are you doing here so early?" I knew he and the rest of the guys that had rescued me were taking a few days off.

"I thought I'd see how you and Ram were feeling before Lula and I headed out of town for a few days," he explained.

I just nodded and looked over at Steph, who was already listening to Lula tell her about their plans to go to the beach for a few days.

"You see Ram yet?" I asked.

"Yep, he's ok. Should get out of here in a few more days. He'll probably be out before you," he told me with a smug grin. "So what'd the doc say?"

"I have to have at least one surgery for the skin grafts, maybe two, and one on my right foot. The left one will heal okay on it's own, but the right will need some pins. Good thing it was my last mission, because I'd never pass the physical again." Even I could hear the bitterness in my voice. I found it ironic that my last mission was the only one that caused me any long-term physical damage. It just reinforced the fact that it was time for me to get out of the game.

"So how long you gonna be down for?" he asked.

"They are going to do both surgeries in the next few days. I should only be stuck here for about a week, but it will be at least another week before I'm cleared for any kind of work. I'll be in the wheelchair for at least a month, and then I'll be in a walking cast for another two weeks."

"Great, so you're going to act like a little bitch for the next two months. I'll be sure to warn the men," he told me with a shit-eating grin.

He was lucky he'd just saved my ass.

"You keep talking like that, and I'll make sure you're on monitors for the next year. I do still own the company," I scowled.

He laughed. "Yeah, I'm so not worried." He turned to Lula. "You ready, sweetheart?"

She flashed him a smile, and nodded before reaching over and giving Steph a hug. Then she turned to me.

"It's good to have you back, Batman. My man has to work way too much overtime when you're gone," she told me, grinning.

I just laughed as I watched them leave. As soon as the door shut, my eyes were drawn back to Stephanie. She was absolutely beautiful, and she was mine. I reached out for her, inviting her to sit on my bed with me so I could reach her easily. I loved touching her and I had missed it while I was gone.

"So... you ready to tell me about what you've been up to the past few months? All the guys told me you've been working really hard," I said, watching the blush spread across her face. She never took praise well, no matter how much it was deserved.

"Not that much; just training and helping the guys out where they needed me," she explained, making it sound frivolous.

I raised my eyebrow. I knew she had been busy, Tank had told me that much, but he wouldn't give me any details, and now it seemed like she didn't want to, either. After a few minutes of silence, she finally broke down like I'd known she would. My Babe hated sitting in silence, so it never took long to wait her out.

She explained everything she'd been up to while I was gone, from all the training, to all that she had learned about running RangeMan. I was extremely proud of all she had accomplished in the past few months. When she finally told me about landing the Excelsior account, I was beyond proud. I was quite literally stunned. Not because I hadn't thought she could do it, I always knew Steph could do anything she put her mind to, but because she had helped me reach the only goal I had set for my company that I hadn't achieved. I'd even started to think I never would.

"Babe, I'm so proud of you. I don't even know how to thank you for what you've done."

She looked at me strangely. "Why would you thank me? It was just an account, Carlos. You've landed hundreds of them."

"No, Steph, it was much more than "_just_" an account to me. When I first opened RangeMan, I had just gotten back from a mission that had me out of the country for over a year." As I thought about the mission, I could feel my emotions shut down and my blank face slide into place. Stephanie looked at me sadly, obviously realizing I was remembering something dark, but she didn't pry. After a moment, I shook my head free of the memories and continued

"I was in Miami visiting with some of my friends and family at a small party. One of my sister's friends had just gotten engaged and was proudly telling everyone that her fiance had gotten the ring from Excelsior. I had no clue what she was talking about, but my sister quickly told me it was a very expensive jewelry store. I had never heard of it before, but from the reactions the girl was getting when she said it came from Excelsior, I thought I'd ask around.

"I found out Excelsior was an exclusive jewelry store that only accepted clients on a referral basis, and that the best security firms in the country begged for their account, submitting bids yearly, but they had been with the same company since they'd opened and weren't interested in changing. As soon as I heard this, I knew I had to have that account. I told myself the only way I would ever believe RangeMan was a success was if I landed this one account. I did everything I could to try and get it, but they didn't want to leave the company they'd been using for so long.

"I've had about a hundred other goals I'd set for my company and reached each one, but this is the only one I've never been able to attain. I've tried for years to get this account, and you landed it on the first meeting," I explained to her in complete awe. "You've succeeded in helping me reach the biggest goal I've had for my company, and I couldn't be more thankful or proud."

I reached for her neck and gently pulled her down to kiss me. I tried to keep it soft and sweet. I wanted her to feel the love I had for her, not just the lust, but I should have known I never manage to keep to my plans when it comes to my Babe. Before I had a chance to let go of her, she took over and deepened the kiss. A few minutes later, we broke apart and were both gasping for breath.

I looked at Steph and realized for the first time that she had changed a lot over the past few months. She was stronger, more confident, less insecure, and I was surprised to realize it made me love her even more than I already did. Before I left, I'd thought I'd never love someone more than I loved Steph at that time, but this new, improved Stephanie was even more amazing, and I couldn't wait to get to know her better.

**(I named the jewelry store after the 'Great Unknown' of famous diamonds. It's ****gorgeous.** . )

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie & Jenny! You girls are the greatest, bestest beta's a girl could have. **


	35. Chapter 35

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_ **Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

"_I've had about a hundred other goals I'd set for my company and reached each one, but this is the only one I've never been able to attain. I've tried for years to get this account, and you landed it on the first meeting," I explained to her in complete awe. "You've succeeded in helping me reach the biggest goal I've had for my company, and I couldn't be more thankful or proud."_

_I reached for her neck and gently pulled her down to kiss me. I tried to keep it soft and sweet. I wanted her to feel the love I had for her, not just the lust, but I should have known I never manage to keep to my plans when it comes to Steph. Before I had a chance to let go of her, she took over and deepened the kiss. A few minutes later, we broke apart and were both gasping for breath._

_I looked at Steph and realized for the first time that she had changed a lot over the past few months. She was stronger, more confident, less insecure, and I was surprised to realize it made me love her even more than I already did. Before I left, I'd thought I'd never love someone more than I loved Steph at that time, but this new, improved Stephanie was even more amazing, and I couldn't wait to get to know her better._

**CHAPTER 35**

**SPOV**

It's been two weeks since Carlos came home, and I couldn't be happier. He was being a complete pain in the ass, but I was so glad he was home, it didn't bother me at all, or at least, not too much. Okay, well, maybe a little. All right, I admit it, he's getting on my last freakin nerve. He's a worse patient than I am! He's constantly whining about not having anything to do, and trying to sneak out of the apartment to go down and do some work.

He's lucky I love him, or I'd have kicked his ass a week ago. Fortunately, he's going to the doctor today and should get cleared for at least office work, because otherwise I would have to resort to drastic measures. I've tried to come up with a few ideas to punish him, but they all end up with us hot, sweaty, and extremely satisfied. The problem was he wasn't cleared for any of the activities I've been dreaming up. If he wasn't cleared for a little more activity at this doctors appointment things could get a ugly. I've spent so much time in the shower over the past two weeks, I think I may have permanently pruned myself.

I've also come to the conclusion that I must have done something horrible in a previous life and am being punished, because before Carlos left on the mission, we couldn't have sex because my doctor hadn't cleared it, and now that he's back, we can't have sex because _his_ doctor won't clear it. Honestly, I am about to kill someone, I'm so frustrated. .

I went to the gym this morning, hoping to work off some steam by sparring with a few of the guys, but none of them would get into the ring with me. Lester finally admitted that until I worked off my "frustrations" a different way, none of them would even consider sparring with me. At first, I was extremely insulted, but after a while, I found it funny that a bunch of highly-trained military men were afraid of a horny girl from the 'Burg.

I was just finishing some paperwork in Carlos' office when I felt that familiar tingle down my spine. I looked up at the door, and a few seconds later, Carlos came wheeling in. Just the sight of him made me happy, and I immediately smiled. Even when he was being a complete pain in my ass, I still loved him more than I thought possible.

"You look really sexy sitting behind my desk," he purred.

All I managed to get out was a groan as I thought of how sexy he always looked. I hoped he was cleared for some activity today, because I didn't think I could take much more without asking Carlos to install a new shower head.

He laughed at the look on my face and changed the subject. "I can't believe, in less than a week, you got through all the paperwork that was on this desk. It had been piling up for almost a year. Actually, I can't even remember the last time I even _saw_ the top of the desk," he told me, smiling.

"Yeah, well, I didn't want you to have to worry about anything when you got back," I explained, standing up from the desk. "You ready to go see the doc?"

"Hell yes!" was his reply.

I just chuckled and headed to the garage with him.

The doctor's visit was quick and painless. Carlos was healing nicely, and was cleared to go back to the office to work. He'd still be in a wheelchair until the cast on his left foot was removed and the one on his right was changed to a walking cast. I could sense the change in Carlos as soon as we left the office.

"Well, at least you can get out of the apartment," I told him as I helped him into the Explorer. Cal and the new guy, Duane, were parked beside us, but Carlos was being his stubborn self and wouldn't accept their help.

"I'm so..."

Before he could finish, I heard gunshots, and we were both falling to the ground between the two trucks. I felt glass shower down on me from the windows of the Explorer, but I wasn't sure which one. As soon as the shooting stopped, I was reaching for Carlos, terrified he'd been hurt. I was surprised to realize I had my gun in my hand. Huh, guess the guys were right when they told me using it would become second nature.

"Are you okay? Did you get hit?" I asked, trying to run my hands across his body to reassure myself, noticing that he had his gun at the ready, too. Wonder where that had come from? Obviously now was not the time to worry about it.

"Babe, I'm fine. Shit, you're bleeding, though."

I looked down at my arm and sure enough, I was bleeding. Carlos pulled his shirt off and began putting pressure on the wound. As usual, my eyes glazed over when I saw his chest bare. I unconsciously licked my lips as my eyes took in his amazingly sculpted chest and abs. When I finally looked at his face, I realized he was a little pale, but there was a slight curve at the corners of his mouth, telling me he had used his ESP to hear everything I was just thinking. What can I say, it takes a lot to stomp down my hormones when I'm around Carlos, and obviously dodging bullets and minor flesh wounds weren't enough.

"Carlos, are you sure you're okay? You don't look too great."

"I'm fine, Babe. I think my heart might have stopped when I saw you bleeding." He reached up and cupped my face. "Are you sure you're not hurt anywhere else?" he asked, searching my face for reassurance.

Before I could reply, I heard Cal yelling.

"Boss, we have a problem. Duane's been hit, and it's bad. We need an ambulance ASAP!" he shouted.

I could hear the panic in his voice, so I knew it must be really bad. These guys never panicked. I reached for my purse that had fallen on the ground beside us, pulled out my cell phone, and called 911. I watched as some medical personnel from inside the doctor's office tried to come outside to help, but were stopped when another volley of shots rang out, shattering the glass of the doctor's office. After I got off the phone with them, I started to stand up to check on Duane, but was stopped when two very strong arms clamped down on me.

"You are not going to stand up and make a target of yourself. I called the guys, and they are on the way. You called for an ambulance and the police. Cal can take care of Duane. We need to stay out of sight until the area is cleared," he told me firmly.

I knew he was right, but I still wanted to help Duane and Cal. Before I had a chance to voice this complaint, I heard sirens and screeching tires telling me the cavalry had arrived. An ambulance had pulled up on the other side of the Explorer, and the EMTs immediately began working on Duane. I noticed Tank had pulled up behind us in an Explorer as well.

I watched Bobby jump out of the Explorer and run to help Carlos into the truck, while Tank covered us, his gun ready.

"No, Bobby, Steph's bleeding. Get her first," he ordered. As usual, he was completely unconcerned about his own safety and completely ridiculous.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine, Bobby. Get his ass in the truck, and I'll be right behind you," I said firmly.

Bobby nodded his head and jumped into the truck with Carlos. I was about two steps behind them. As soon as we shut the doors, I heard Carlos barking orders.

"Steph was shot in the arm. Get us to the hospital," he demanded.

Tank nodded, and we headed to the ER once again. Oh joy!

**RPOV**

Un-freaking-believable. I haven't left the office more than two times since I got back from my mission, and as soon as I do, someone takes a shot at us. I'd had a long talk with Tank about the fact that Stephanie's latest stalker went almost dormant while I was gone. We both thought it was very telling that almost nothing had happened for almost five months, and now that I'm back, it seems like her stalker may be, too.

If this was her stalker, it either means he wants me out of the picture completely, or at the very least, doesn't want us together. Well, he can kiss my Cuban ass if he thinks that's going to happen. I've waited for four very long, frustrating years to have my chance with the woman of my dreams, and if he thinks he can scare me away with a few threats and bullets, he obviously doesn't know much about me. I fight for what's mine, and I will do anything to keep what's mine safe.

When I saw Steph bleeding, it honestly felt like my heart stopped beating. I'd been terrified that she was seriously injured, but I'd been relieved to see that it looked like it was only a minor flesh wound. I'd told Tank to take us to the ER just to be safe. Plus, I wanted to be there when they brought Duane in. I had only met him once, the first time I snuck out of the apartment after I got back. He'd been hired a few months ago, while I was still away. I didn't know him personally, but he was in Junior's unit, and Junior had nothing but good things to say about him.

Once we got into the ER, it wasn't busy, so Steph was immediately seen. I had Bobby go with her so she could get a few stitches, and I waited in the lobby for Duane to be brought in. As we waited, I decided to ask Tank a question that had been bothering me.

"Since when do the guys listen to Steph's orders instead of mine?"

He looked at me strangely and raised an eyebrow, so I explained. "When you guys got to us earlier, I told Bobby to get Steph, and she told him she was fine and to take care of me. So I'm curious, who is in charge?" I asked him. Actually, it had really pissed me off. I expect my men to follow my orders to the letter, especially when they involve Stephanie.

"Ranger, don't be an ass," he told me as he gave me an eye roll that would have made Steph proud. Unfortunately, it just succeeded in pissing me off more. "Of course you're in charge. Everyone knows that. But we know we can trust Steph now, too. She isn't that girl who flies off the handle without thinking. If she said she was okay, then Bobby knew she was, and _you _are the one who can't walk by yourself. If Bobby had followed your orders, it would have just taken more time. Don't make more out of this than it is. If you think about it, you know they were right. It was only her arm. Both of her legs were fine, but your's weren't. Besides, you haven't been cleared for duty yet, so technically, _she_ is still in charge."

I knew he was right, but it just annoyed the hell out of me. When had I become such a big baby?

I didn't have much time to think about it, because the ER doors flew open and Duane was rushed past us. I got a good look at him before the doors shut, and knew immediately that it was bad. I looked over at Tank and realized he was thinking the same thing. _Fuck!_ I hissed in my head. If he died, Stephanie would blame herself. Plus, I had always hated losing one of the men in my command, so if he didn't survive, it would hit us both hard.

After calling the office and telling the guys to start looking at the usual suspects, I waited until Cal got to the hospital to get a report on Duane's condition. After Cal filled me in, I decided to go back and check on Steph. She was looking pretty annoyed with the situation until she saw me, and then her face lit up with a smile.

"How's Duane?" she asked.

I wasn't sure how to answer, but she knew as soon as she saw my face. "Is he going to make it?" she asked softly.

"Don't know. They're taking him to surgery now."

"Shit. This is all my fault." And there it was. She felt responsible, just as I'd known she would. She continued, "It has to be that stupid stalker. I don't understand! He's been completely silent for months. Why now? Oh God, what if Duane doesn't make it? It's all my fault!"

I could see the tears start running down her face, and it broke my heart. I pulled her onto my lap and held her, whispering to her in Spanish. As she started to relax, I turned her a little so she was facing me.

"Babe, this isn't your fault. It isn't my fault. The only one to blame is the asshole that pulled the trigger. We don't know if it's your stalker or not, but if it is, we'll deal with it."

After they stitched Steph up, we went out to the lobby and waited for news on Duane. Junior came in with Duane's parents about two hours after we arrived. A little while later, the doctor came out, and I knew by the look on his face that Duane hadn't made it. He explained that the damaged was too extensive, and there was nothing they could do to save him. While we all sat stunned, he turned and headed back inside.

Steph and I spent the next few hours speaking with Duane's family and helping them take care of any arrangements that needed to be made. By the time we got home, it was almost 11:00 pm, and we both were exhausted. I was hurting everywhere, because I hadn't taken any of my meds since we left earlier in the afternoon. I couldn't believe how fucked up this day had gotten.

"I'm going to call Ella for a snack and then take a quick shower," Steph told me as she walked into the apartment. "Do you want help washing up?"

"Maybe after we eat," I told her with a sigh. I hated not being able to shower. "You go ahead and shower, and I'll call Ella." She just nodded her head and went to the bathroom.

After eating a little bit, we headed into the bedroom. Steph quickly helped me get cleaned up and put me in bed before she changed into my t-shirt and joined me. As soon as she crawled in bed I pulled her to me needing her close so I could reassure myself that she was alright. We laid in silence until I finally heard her breathing even out and I eventually followed her into sleep.

**Stalker POV  
**  
Now that Ranger is back, I decided I needed to step up my plan. I took out the newbie for two reasons. First, he was convenient. Second, I knew it would get to Ranger. For some reason he feels a sense of loyalty and attachment to his men and I knew taking one of them out when he knew I was gunning for him would really get to him. He put my plan on hold for almost six months and I was annoyed and frustrated. I thought I would take advantage of the situation when it presented itself.

Ranger knew all about taking advantage of things. He took advantage of my baby sister, and she was dead because of it. After all I had done to protect her, it wasn't enough. I was glad I'd waited all these years to get even. At first, I'd planned to just seduce and get him to go home with me so I could finish him off quickly, but this was much more satisfying. The look on his face when he saw the blood on the bitch's arm was priceless. I was going to enjoy every second of torturing her while he watched. Knowing how much he would suffer as he watched her slowly die at my hands was more than worth the wait.

I also planned to use the newbie's death as a way to rattle his bitch. . If I could get Stephanie to break away from the Rangeman pack by threatening Ranger with the same fate of the newbie then maybe I wouldn't have to waste any more valuable time. It definitely couldn't hurt to at least try.

**TBC...**

**Connie your help and creative thinking have been invaluable in keeping this story alive over the past few months. Thank you for all your hard work.**

**Jenny you've made this story more than I ever imagined it could be and I thank you for all the time and hard work you've put into it. **


	36. Chapter 36

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_**Stalker POV  
**__  
Now that Ranger is back, I decided I needed to step up my plan. I took out the newbie for two reasons. First, he was convenient. Second, I knew it would get to Ranger. For some reason he feels a sense of loyalty and attachment to his men and I knew taking one of them out when he knew I was gunning for him would really get to him. He put my plan on hold for almost six months and I was annoyed and frustrated. I thought I would take advantage of the situation when it presented itself. _

_Ranger knew all about taking advantage of things. He took advantage of my baby sister, and she was dead because of it. After all I had done to protect her, it wasn't enough. I was glad I'd waited all these years to get even. At first, I'd planned to just seduce and get him to go home with me so I could finish him off quickly, but this was much more satisfying. The look on his face when he saw the blood on the bitch's arm was priceless. I was going to enjoy every second of torturing her while he watched. Knowing how much he would suffer as he watched her slowly die at my hands was more than worth the wait._

I also planned to use the newbie's death as a way to rattle his bitch. . If I could get Stephanie to break away from the Rangeman pack by threatening Ranger with the same fate of the newbie then maybe I wouldn't have to waste any more valuable time. It definitely couldn't hurt to at least try.

**CHAPTER 36**

**SPOV**

I woke up the next morning with a very heavy heart. I couldn't seem to control the guilt I was feeling because of Duane's death. I was tired and cranky, and I just wanted to stay in bed and pull the blanket over my head. I let out a loud sigh and started to get out of bed, but was stopped by two beautiful mocha-colored arms.

"Morning, Babe," he said as he leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"Morning, Batman. You going to let me up so I can get to work? My boss is a real slave driver, you know."

I tried to sound happy, but Carlos wasn't buying it. He pulled me up his body so he could see my face better.

"Babe, why don't you take the day off? I can tell you've used up pretty much all your happy," he told me as he stroked the side of my face. "You've been working non-stop for over three weeks now, between RangeMan and taking care of me. I'm going to go down to work today, so I think you should take the day for yourself. You haven't been to see your dad or your grandmother since I've been back, and I know it's bothering you. Maybe you could call the girls and meet them for lunch. When was the last time you saw Mary Lou or Lula?"

I wish I knew how he did that. He always knew exactly what I was thinking and what I needed. I had felt really bad about not checking on my family lately, but I had been so caught up with work and making sure Carlos was okay, I just hadn't had the time. I had talked to the girls on the phone a few times since Carlos' return, but I hadn't had time to see them. I lay there and thought about it for a few minutes, and decided that some family and friend therapy was exactly what I needed.

"You know what, Carlos? I think you're exactly right. I don't have anything important scheduled today, and a day off would be great."

I noticed the initial look of surprise on his face and laughed. "No, Carlos, I'm not going to argue with you. You're right, I do need a break."

He smiled and gave me a bone-melting kiss. "I know you aren't going to want to, after what happened yesterday, but I want you to take two guys with you."

Now that he mentioned it, I was surprised he was letting me out of the building at all.

"I don't think anything will happen as long as I'm not with you, but I still want you to have backup." As usual, he answered my unasked question.

"Why don't you think anything will happen?" I asked, feeling slightly panicked. "Are you saying you think he's after you?" My voice was steadily rising, and I pushed myself out of his arms and sat up on the bed, facing him.

"No, Babe. Relax." He sat up and pulled me onto his lap, rubbing circles on my back to calm me. "First, we aren't positive it _was_ your stalker, but if it was, I think we need to consider that the only time something happens is when we're together. If that's the case, then we need to figure out if he wants me out of the picture completely, or if he just wants us apart. It's something we are going to have to look at. Will you take the guys with you?"

"I guess," I sighed. "I just don't want to risk anyone else's life, though."

"I know that, Babe, but you need someone to watch your back," he explained, and then gave me a kiss that had me forgetting what we were even talking about. "Go hop in the shower, and I'll call Ella. You can call the girls and your dad after you get out."

I crawled out of bed and went in to take a nice, relaxing shower. I thought I'd call my dad and grandma and have them meet me for lunch, and then see if the girls wanted to go shopping. I was sure my Merry Men for the day would be getting paid triple time for having to shop and put up with my grandmother. I got out of the shower and dried off, doing the minimum of make up, and pulled my hair into a ponytail. By the time I was done, Carlos had changed into a pair of shorts and his usual black t-shirt, and he was letting Ella into the apartment with breakfast.

As she set out breakfast, I made my phone calls quickly, and by the time I sat down for breakfast, I had my day planned.

"So did you get everything set up?" Carlos asked with a smile when I sat down at the table beside him.

"Yep, I'm meeting Dad and Grandma at Pino's for lunch, and then the girls and I are going to the mall. Whoever is on Bombshell duty is going to be seriously unhappy," I smirked. "I thought since I'm not meeting anyone until lunch, I'd help you get settled in downstairs, if that's okay. Plus, I wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else I could do for Duane's family."

"Of course it's okay. I enjoy every second I spend with you, even if it's at my desk going over papers." He smiled at me warmly, but his smile slowly faded. "I got a call from the DA while you were in the shower." I just looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "The trial is going to start next week. He'll want to meet with both of us a few times before then."

I didn't say anything for a while. I had known this was coming, but for some reason, it still felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I briefly wondered if my life would ever be stress free. I realized that Carlos was looking at me with a frown.

"I'm sorry... I knew it was coming, it just caught me off guard. I'm fine," I told him, trying to reassure him. There wasn't anything either of us could do, so worrying about it would be a waste of time.

"Are you sure you okay, Babe?"

"Yes, I guess I'd just pushed it to the back of my mind for so long I'd managed to forget how hard it was to think about," I tried to explain. "Getting up on the stand all by myself and explaining what happened to me to a room full of gossip-hungry 'Burg'ers is just something I'm not looking forward to at all."

He reached over and grabbed my hand. "Babe, you are _not_ alone. You may have to be in the stand alone, but I will be with you every step of the way. I'll never leave you, Babe. You will _never again_ have to worry about being alone. Do you understand?" he asked, and the conviction I heard in his voice reassured me enough to lessen my fears, and made me love him even more.

I gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Carlos. You always know what to say to make me feel better," I told him before I leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss.

After we finished breakfast, we climbed into the elevator and headed down to five. Today was the first day in weeks that I hadn't worked out, and I actually missed it. Who would have thought that Stephanie Plum would ever enjoy working out? We stepped out of the elevator, and I started to head to Carlos' office, when I felt him grab my hand.

"Come with me first. I have a surprise I want to show you."

I tried to raise an eyebrow at him, but only succeeded in raising both. He laughed and headed towards Tank and Lester's offices. Before we got to them, he stopped at the door that was a large storage and general junk room. I looked at him strangely, waiting for him to explain.

"Would you mind opening the door for me," he asked.

Now I really knew something was up. Even though Carlos was in a wheelchair, he had refused all help that was offered to him, stubbornly determined to do everything himself. The fact that he asked me to open the door meant that whatever my secret was, it was behind that door. Rather than question him again, I reached out and opened the door, wondering exactly what he could surprise me with in a storage closet, other than copy paper and other office supplies. The sight I found when I opened the door left me speechless.

All the office supplies and junk that had accumulated over the years was gone, and in it's place was a beautiful office that was simple and sophisticated. I turned to look at Carlos, who was behind me, watching my stunned reaction.

"You didn't really think I'd let you go back to your cubicle, after running RangeMan and landing one of the biggest accounts we've ever had, did you?"

"Carlos, I don't need an office. Now that you and the other guys are back, I'll just be running searches again, and maybe doing some distractions. Why would I need an office for that?"

The look Carlos was giving me was hard to read, and I was afraid I'd upset him, until he came over and took my hand leading me to a high, wingback chair that was set up as a guest chair.

He took both of my hands in his and leaned forward to look at me. "Stephanie." Oh no, he's using my full name. "Do you really think that after all that you've accomplished in the past six months, I would be stupid enough to let you go back to just doing searches and distractions? Babe, you have far exceeded all my expectations, and that is saying something. I've always thought you would be the perfect asset if I could get you involved in all aspects of the company. I want you to continue helping to run RangeMan. I would have to be a complete fool not to take advantage of your abilities. The clients love you, the guys respect you, and you understand this business as well as any of us."

I was beyond floored. I mean, I got lucky with the jewelry account, and yes, I had run RangeMan for a short time, but that was out of necessity. I admit that I had definitely improved myself in a lot of different areas, but I still wasn't sure I deserved this amount of faith.

"Babe, you deserve this and much more. This wasn't just my decision. All the core team had a say in this, and they all completely agreed that you are exactly what RangeMan needs. Now that your healthy, you can even start doing field work."

The obvious surprise must have shown on my face, because he continued. "You are more than capable of working in the field, if that's what you want. I've seen the videos of your training, and you can definitely handle yourself. Bobby had told me he wanted you to wait at least six months after your surgery, and that's come and gone, so if you choose to go back in the field, then I fully support it. If you'd prefer to stay in the office more, all the guys will be more than happy to let you handle clients and meetings. Your choice Babe," he told me, grinning.

"Are you sure, Carlos? I don't want to hurt your company. You've worked too hard to get where you are," I said firmly.

"There is only one thing I've ever been more sure of," he assured me, which of course made me curious about what the only thing he'd been more sure about was. Before I could ask, he told me. "You and me, Babe. I've never been more sure of anything else in my life." He leaned forward and gently kissed me.

His tongue slowly traced my lips, causing me to gasp and open my mouth to him. He continued his exploration with his tongue, and I was slowly losing myself in his kiss, when we heard several people clear their throats. We turned towards the door, and saw Tank, Lester, and Bobby grinning at us like idiots.

"Dang, Boss. Think you could stick your tongue any further down her throat? You're lucky she didn't choke to death," Lester said as he laughed.

"Santos!" Carlos growled, but before he could get anything else out, Bobby and Tank both reached over and smacked Lester on the back of his head.

"Ouch! What the hell did you do that for?" he gaped.

"Do you even _know_ how to keep your comments to yourself?" Tank asked.

"What's the fun in that?" was Lester's brilliant reply.

"Was there something we can do for you three?" Carlos asked.

"We just wanted to stop and see what Bomber thought of her new office," Bobby said, smiling at me.

"It's amazing. I can't believe you guys did this for me. I was completely happy with my cubicle," I told them.

Tank gave me an eye roll that would have made Lula extremely proud. "How the hell would you meet clients in that tiny little cubicle?" he asked.

I just smiled, then got up, gave them each a hug, and a heartfelt thank you.

We talked for a few more minutes, before the guys excused themselves, and Carlos and I headed to his office so I could show him all I had done.

We were so caught up in our work and finalizing the arrangements for Duane, I didn't realize the morning had flown by. Before I knew it, Carlos was telling me I'd better be on my way if I wanted to make it to Pino's in time. I grabbed my things and started to head out to find Hal and Vince, who were scheduled to be my shadows for the day.

I realized as I left Carlos' office that he was right behind me, so I turned to see what he was up to. "You planning on coming with me?" I asked, surprised.

He laughed. "No, not this time, but I have another surprise for you, and I thought now would be the perfect time to give it to you," he explained while we got on the elevator, followed closely by Hal and Vince.

Since I wasn't sure where my next surprise was hidden, I let him choose the floor we were going to, and was surprised to see him push the button for the garage.

"What are you up to? Why are you giving me all these presents?" I asked him suspiciously.

"I missed your birthday and Christmas, so I wanted to make up for it," he explained sheepishly.

"You coming home was the only gift I needed Carlos," I told him and leaned down to kiss him.

He just continued to smile. I don't recall a time when I'd ever seen Carlos this happy.

"That's because I've never _been_ this happy," he told me as he grabbed my hand when we got off the elevator.

"I've really have got to stop speaking my thoughts out loud."

"No, you don't. It's one of your most endearing traits," he said fondly as we came to a stop in front of a beautiful new, deep blue Porsche.

Carlos handed me the keys. "I saw this and thought it would be the perfect car for you. It's a Panamera Turbo. I know how much you love my Turbo, but it isn't always completely practical. I thought this would give you everything you love in the Turbo, but with a little more room," he explained.

I still hadn't spoken, because I couldn't get my lips to do anything but make the perfect fish face. _Holy shit! Batman bought me the mother of all Porsches. There's no way I can take it. I'll have an orgasm every time I get inside_, I thought.

I was startled out of my shock by Carlos' booming laughter, causing me to realize I'd said that last part out loud.

"I can't believe I'm actually jealous of a car," he said, trying to contain his laughter.

I wasn't in the mood to debate, so I just stuck my tongue out at him to get my point across.

His eyes instantly darkened. "I told you not to do that unless you intend to use it, and since you have somewhere you need to be, you'd better put it back where it belongs."

I just rolled my eyes and got back to the issue at hand. "Carlos, this car is beautiful, but I can't accept it. It's too much, and even though I haven't blown anything up recently, we all know it's just a matter of time," I explained.

"Babe, I can afford to buy you a hundred of these, and still have enough for us to live lavishly for the rest of our lives. I love the idea of you in something I bought for you. If you need to, think of it as a bonus for the Excelsior account. Please, Stephanie."

Well crap, he'd gone and used please _and_ my full name. If I were honest, this car was the shit, and I really did want it. After a few more seconds of wrestling with myself, I decided to say screw it, and take the car. I held out my hands for the keys, and the smile that Carlos graced me with made me feel even better than the car. I leaned down and kissed him sweetly, and thanked him before climbing into my brand new car. I drove off to Pino's, followed by another Explorer driven by my shadows for the day.

(Steph's new car. .com/usa/models/panamera/panamera-turbo/ )

**TBC...**

**As usual thanks to my two favorite beta's, Connie & Jenny!**


	37. Chapter 37

**FADE TO BLACK **

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

_"I can't believe I'm actually jealous of a car," he said, trying to contain his laughter._

I wasn't in the mood to debate, so I just stuck my tongue out at him to get my point across.

His eyes instantly darkened. "I told you not to do that unless you intend to use it, and since you have somewhere you need to be, you'd better put it back where it belongs."

I just rolled my eyes and got back to the issue at hand. "Carlos, this car is beautiful, but I can't accept it. It's too much, and even though I haven't blown anything up recently, we all know it's just a matter of time," I explained.

"Babe, I can afford to buy you a hundred of these, and still have enough for us to live lavishly for the rest of our lives. I love the idea of you in something I bought for you. If you need to, think of it as a bonus for the Excelsior account. Please, Stephanie."

Well crap, he'd gone and used please and my full name. If I were honest, this car was the shit, and I really did want it. After a few more seconds of wrestling with myself, I decided to say screw it, and take the car. I held out my hands for the keys, and the smile that Carlos graced me _with made me feel even better than the car. I leaned down and kissed him sweetly, and thanked him before climbing into my brand new car. I drove off to Pino's, followed by another Explorer driven by my shadows for the day._

**CHAPTER 37**

**SPOV**

I pulled into Pino's and turned off the ignition. This car was the shit, and I loved everything about it. It drove like a wet dream, and had plenty of room for shopping bags. What was there not to love?

I climbed out of the car and headed inside with Hal and Vince in tow. It might have been my imagination, but I swear they both looked nervous, and for some reason, I don't think it was my stalker they were worried about. Yeah, my granny could strike fear into the bravest of men. I giggled at the thought. When I got inside, I saw my Dad and Grandmother sitting at a booth, and realized they were arguing about something. Instead of worrying, it made me smile. If they weren't arguing, I would actually think something was wrong.

"What are you two going on about?" I asked as I slid into the booth, while Vince and Hal took up a table beside us.

"Your Dad tried to forbid me from asking you about how great Ranger's package really is, and how well he uses it. He just doesn't understand what girl talk is all about. So tell me, is it as good as it looks?" Grandma asked, waggling her eyebrows.

Considering I really didn't want to answer this question, especially in front of my father, I decided to go with distraction. "Grandma, Carlos is in a wheelchair right now. I'm just focusing on getting him better."

"Well, I bet you two could have a lot of fun with that wheelchair. He could wheel you all over the place, while you rode him like a bucking bronco," she told me. "Huh, maybe I should get me a guy in a wheelchair. There are a bunch of men with them at the senior center," she muttered.

"Christ, woman, that is my daughter you're talking about," my dad hissed.

"Stop being an old fuddy duddy, Frank. You're going to have to find someone to ride you, once the divorce is final. You know it's pretty hard to go without when you're used to getting it regularly. It's like you're going through withdrawals or something, or so I hear. If you go too long, you won't have any staying power, you know."

Ick, I'm so going to need a brain bleaching after this conversation. "Wait, did you say once the divorce is final? Dad, when will that be?" I asked, praying that this would change the subject.

"Well, pumpkin, it looks like it will be finalized at the end of the month," he explained.

"Are you doing okay?" I asked, worried how this was affecting him.

"Pumpkin, I know this is may sound awful, but I haven't been this happy in years. I can relax now. I don't have to hear the constant complaints about the 'Burg. I'm not sure when, but at some point, I fell out of love with your mother, and she has been making me miserable ever since. The problem was, I was so used to it, I didn't even realize how unhappy I was," he tried to explain.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay, Daddy, but I still feel like this wouldn't have happened if it weren't for me. I mean, let's be honest, the reason she was always complaining was because of me," I told him.

"Stephanie, sweetie, that isn't true," Grandma explained as she patted my hand. "Helen is my daughter, and I'll always love her, but somewhere along the way, she lost herself in the idea of the 'Burg. I think she needs to find herself again if she's ever going to be happy. This divorce is going to force her to take a very long, hard look at herself, and that's exactly what she needs to do. She needs to realize the only person that will ever be able to make her truly happy is herself, and neither the rest of the world, nor the 'Burg, can or should dictate how she lives her life. Until she realizes that, she is going to be the same bitter and miserable woman she is now. You aren't responsible for any of her problems. She created those all by herself," she told me with a shake of her head and a sad smile.

I really didn't know how to reply to that, but luckily, our order arrived, so I just dug in. We spent the rest of our time just chatting about our lives. I told them about my new office, my new car, the trial, and the latest stalker drama. Before I knew it, it was time for me to go meet the girls. I offered to take Grandma with us, but she had big plans for the evening and needed to start getting ready. It seemed that living at my old apartment was working out well for her, and she was making friends left and right. I was really happy for her.

My Dad walked out with me so he could look at my car. "Well, it's not American, but I have to admit, it's an awfully nice car," he said as he inspected it. That was pretty high praise, coming from my father. I just smiled at him as he inspected each button, and finally climbed out and held the door open for me.

Before I got in the car, my dad stopped me. "I'm glad you finally found a man that treats you like the princess you are. It's obvious he makes you happy, and he truly loves you for who you are, not who you could be. You picked the right one this time, Stephanie. Hang on to him, he's a good man," he admitted as he hugged me.

I felt my eyes tear up. "Thanks, Daddy, he is. I love him more than I thought possible."

He smiled. "That's exactly how you should feel. Bye, Pumpkin. Love you." He walked off to his own car after giving me one last wave.

I climbed into my car and turned towards the mall. I was planning on meeting the girls at Macy's, and tackling the rest of the mall from there. I saw Connie and Lula waiting at the entrance as soon as I pulled in. I pulled up and beeped my horn at them. At first, all I got were some nasty looks, but after I rolled down my window and they finally realized it was me, they both rushed over to check out my new ride.

"Girl, are you telling me Batman went and bought you a Batmobile of your own?" Lula asked.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. He said it was my bonus for landing his dream account," I explained.

"This car is perfect. It's sexy as hell, but there's room enough for all of us. So when are you taking us out in it?" Connie asked.

"I don't know, maybe we should make some plans. I'll be pretty busy over the next few days, getting ready for the trial, but maybe we could do something after that. I'm sure I'll need about twenty stiff drinks once it's all over."

"Sounds good to me, girlfriend," Lula said as she ran her hand over my car reverently. "Oh look, there's Mary Lou! Hey, Mary Lou, come check this out. Batman went and bought White Girl her very own Batmobile," Lula yelled as Mary Lou walked to my car.

After the girls had inspected it, I went and parked, and we all headed into Macy's. I wanted to buy a few new outfits, but mostly, I wanted to buy some new lingerie. Carlos had finally been cleared for some light _strenuous activity_, and I wanted to spice things up a little. It would be a little difficult with him wearing two casts, but I figured it would just required a little creative thinking.

We had been through most of the mall and were just finishing up with Victoria's Secret, when we ran into my mother and Valerie. Oh joy, this should be fun. We all just stood there in front of the store, staring at each other without saying anything for a few uncomfortable moments.

Finally, my mother broke the silence. "Hello, Stephanie, how are you today?" she asked. So she was going to go with the polite route. I could do that, I think.

I was still staring at her like she'd grown about four new heads, when I finally gathered my wits and spoke. "Uh, hey, Helen. Valerie. I'm doing well. How are you two?"

"Just fine, thank you. I see your hair is growing back nicely," my mother replied, and Valerie just nodded.

"Uh huh. Yeah, I guess it is." This conversation was not going well on my side. I was just so flabbergasted by my mother's and sister's attitudes, I couldn't think clearly.

I still wasn't sure what to make of this, but I did have one thing I wanted to ask. "Val, how are Mary Alice, Angie, and Lisa doing?" My Dad and Grandma had kept me up-to-date on their lives, but I still missed them.

"They're all doing well, thank you. Now that Lisa is walking, she won't sit down. Mary Alice still thinks she's a horse, and Angie has the highest GPA in her grade. Maybe we could get together sometime so you can see them," she added.

I couldn't hide my surprise, but readily agreed. "I'd love that Val. I really miss them."

"Well, Valarie needs to get home before the girls get out of school, so we should be on our way," my mom explained.

"Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you guys around," I added, feeling like I might have fallen into the Twilight Zone.

"It was nice to see you, Stephanie," she said before walking away.

Okay, this wasn't the Twilight Zone. It was a completely different universe.

I stood there staring at them until I could no longer see them, and then turned to face my friends in absolute shock. "What the hell was that about?" I asked. It's really sad that I'd been through so much shit with my mother that I thought she was up to something, rather than thinking she was just being nice.

"Well, Steph, from what I've heard, this divorce has really shaken your mother up, and adding to it that the whole 'Burg knows she got pregnant before she was married, by someone who isn't your father, and she was really starting to lose it, so Valerie suggested she see a psychologist. I heard she's been seeing one now for almost two months. Maybe it's actually working," Mary Lou explained.

"Are you kidding me? I would never imagine Helen Plum agreeing to see a counselor. Are you sure?" I asked, still wary from all our other encounters.

"I've heard the same thing, Steph. It's been going around the 'Burg gossip mill for a while now. We just never told you, because you said you didn't want to hear anything about the 'Burg," Connie told me.

"Huh. Well, I guess we'll have to wait and see." I shrugged. "I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive her for the way she's treated me."

The girls just nodded, and we decided to grab a bite to eat at the Cheesecake Factory before heading home. After eating some amazing pasta, followed by some even better cheesecake, I climbed back in my car, ready to go home. As I was reaching to start my car, my phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, I saw that it was my Grandmother.

"Hey, Grandma. What's up?" I asked.

"Stephanie, dear. I got something in the mail today. It was addressed to you. I think you might want to stop by and pick it up."

The tone of her voice just didn't sound right, so rather than question her some more, I decided to just go see her. "Okay, Grandma, I'm leaving the mall now. I'll stop by your place on the way home."

"Okay, Stephanie. I'll be waiting for you." Her voice had a tone to it that made me feel that something was amiss. I could feel my Spidey sense start to tingle, but since I didn't think my Grandmother was in any danger, I decided not to call Carlos and worry him.

I called Hal and let him know where I'd be stopping before going back to RangeMan. I told him I'd only be a second, and that he didn't need to go inside with me, since I had my gun and could handle myself. He seemed a little hesitant at first, but I think he was more terrified of going into my Grandmother's domain, so reluctantly, he agreed.

When I got to my old apartment building, I got a primo parking spot. _Huh, I guess parking karma has something to do with Carlos purchasing the car,_ I thought as I climbed the steps. I knocked on the door, and Grandma opened right up. I glanced around the apartment and didn't see anything strange, so I asked her what was going on.

"This was in the mailbox this afternoon when I got back. It doesn't have any postage on it, and no return address, but it was addressed to you. I know you've got that stalker problem again, so I thought I'd better get it to you as soon as I could." She handed me a manila envelope, and walked back towards her bedroom.

I took the envelope and looked at it for a few seconds, trying to decide if I should open it now, or go back to RangeMan and let the guys check it out. Something was telling me that this was sent to me, and only me, for a reason, so I decided to open it now, rather than later.

After I opened it, I pulled out the contents. There were five different pictures of Ranger, all since he'd returned from his last mission. On each picture were the cross-hairs from a sniper rifles scope, pointed directly at his heart. As I looked at the pictures, I felt the panic start to build in my chest. Breathing was becoming harder and harder, but I still needed to read the letter that was with it. I willed myself to calm down and focus on reading the letter.  
_  
__**Stephanie,**_

_**The body guard was just a warning**__**. T**__**hink how easy it would have been for me to take Manoso out instead. You either leave him now, or I will make sure he leaves you forever. It's your choice.**_

I read and re-read the note, trying to think rationally, but all I could think was that if I stayed with Carlos, he would end up being killed, like Duane. I couldn't let that happen, ever. I loved Carlos more than I ever thought I could possibly love another human being. If he died because of me, I'd never be able to live with myself.

I stood up and started pacing in my Grandmother's living room. I didn't notice that she had snuck out of the bedroom and was watching my every move. I had to come up with a plan. I needed to leave Carlos in a way that would guarantee he wouldn't be willing to follow me. My heart grew heavy as I realized the only way I could do that was to make him hate me. I would have to leave my new car behind, because I was positive it had numerous trackers on it. I spent another few minutes coming up with a plan, and then shoved the letter and the pictures back in the envelope and went to find Grandma. I found her walking into the bathroom.

"Grandma, this isn't from the stalker." I tried to assure her. "It's really nothing important," I told her as I threw it in her garbage. I didn't want to leave with it, because I was afraid the guys might notice.

"Oh, that's good. Well, I'm sorry to have bothered you. I just wasn't sure. I've got to get ready for my date now." She walked out of the bathroom and into her bedroom.

I said goodbye, then took a deep breath and went back outside to my car, glad that Grandma had believed my lie. I climbed in, pointed my car towards Haywood, and promised myself I wouldn't cry. I pulled out my cell and called Mary Lou.

As soon as she answered, I said quickly, "Hey, Lou, I have a huge favor to ask."

"Sure, Steph, what do you need?"

"I'm going to need you to pick me up at RangeMan in exactly thirty minutes and take me to an ATM and a car rental place. Most importantly, I need you not to tell anyone what I'm up to," I pleaded.

"Steph, is everything okay? I thought you and Ranger were doing great."

"We are, or rather, we were. I can't explain right now, I don't have enough time. Can you just please pick me up?" I begged.

"Of course I can. You said thirty minutes from now, right?"

"Yeah, Lou. Thanks, I owe you big time."

I hung up the phone and pulled into the RangeMan garage. I climbed out of my car and left all my purchases inside. I didn't really want them anyway, and after I was done here, it really wouldn't matter.

**EPOV  
**  
I waited until I heard Stephanie shut the apartment door before I went and got the envelope out of the trash. I read the note and looked at the pictures, and immediately knew what my granddaughter was up to. I could see the pain in her eyes as she made her decision to push him away from her. Well, there was no way I was going to let her make this mistake, so I did the only thing I could to save her from herself. I picked up the phone and dialed.

"RangeMan. How may I direct your call?"

"This is Edna Mazur. I need to speak to Ranger immediately. It's very, very important."

"Of course, Mrs. Mazur. I'll put you through to him immediately."

It was only a few seconds before I heard Ranger's voice. "Mrs. Mazur, is everything all right? Is something wrong with Stephanie?" I could hear the worry and love in his voice, and it made me happy to know my granddaughter had found such a good man.

"Ranger, please call me Edna. We're practically family, after all. There isn't anything wrong yet, but I know my granddaughter, and after seeing what she just got in the mail, I have a feeling she's going to be making a big mistake because she loves you so much."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," he said, clearly confused.

I spent the next several minutes filling him in on the envelope and the way Stephanie was acting when she left my apartment.

After hanging up with Ranger, I sat down at my table for a few minutes and looked at the contents of the envelope again. I hated that my granddaughter was being tormented by another stalker, but I had no doubt she was strong enough to handle it. Obviously, she'd gotten the ability to deal with high stress situations from my side of the family. The Plums were just a bunch of fuddy duddies that wouldn't know how to deal with a stressful situation if it bit them in the toosh, even if they had step-by-step instructions.

Unfortunately, my granddaughter also got her impetuous nature from my side of the family, too. Normally, I believe that flying by the seat of your pants can be a great way to go through life, but sometimes it can be better to think all the consequences through before you dive in. This happened to be one of those times.

I was brought out of my musing when I realized that one of Ranger's Merry Men was on his way, and I needed to get ready for him. _Hot Damn_! I can't wait to see which one it is, and if I'm lucky, I'll be able to get a quick squeeze of his package before he leaves with the envelope.

**TBC...**

**Beta'ed by my friends Connie & Jenny. Thanks Girls!**


	38. Chapter 38

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

_"RangeMan. How may I direct your call?"_

"This is Edna Mazur. I need to speak to Ranger immediately. It's very, very important."

"Of course, Mrs. Mazur. I'll put you through to him immediately."

_It was only a few seconds before I heard Ranger's voice. "Mrs. Mazur, is everything all right? Is something wrong with Stephanie?" I could hear the worry and love in his voice, and it made me happy to know my granddaughter had found such a good man._

"Ranger, please call me Edna. We're practically family, after all. There isn't anything wrong yet, but I know my granddaughter, and after seeing what she just got in the mail, I have a feeling she's going to be making a big mistake because she loves you so much."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," he said, clearly confused.

I spent the next several minutes filling him in on the envelope and the way Stephanie was acting when she left my apartment.

After hanging up with Ranger, I sat down at my table for a few minutes and looked at the contents of the envelope again. I hated that my granddaughter was being tormented by another stalker, but I had no doubt she was strong enough to handle it. Obviously, she'd gotten the ability to deal with high stress situations from my side of the family. The Plums were just a bunch of fuddy duddies that wouldn't know how to deal with a stressful situation, even if they had step-by-step instructions.

Unfortunately, my granddaughter also got her impetuous nature from my side of the family, too. Normally, I believe that flying by the seat of your pants can be a great way to go through life, but sometimes it can be better to think all the consequences through before you dive in. This happened to be one of those times.

I was brought out of my musing when I realized that one of Ranger's Merry Men was on his way, and I needed to get ready for him. Hot Damn! I can't wait to see which one it is, and if I'm lucky, I'll be able to get a quick squeeze of his package before he leaves with the envelope.

**CHAPTER 38**

**RPOV**

Thank God Edna has the same undying curiosity that Steph has. If she didn't, she would have never bothered to get the envelope out of the trash, and I'd have never been any wiser to what Steph was up to.

I had no doubt that as soon as Steph gets back, she would try and do something that would push me away just enough so she can make a getaway. Although I'm somewhat curious as to what her plan is, I'd decided to not even give her a chance to start it. I had a feeling whatever her plan was, it would be to try and hurt me enough that I'll let her walk away from me, and there is no way that's going to happen.

I admit, I was furious when Edna first told me what she thought Stephanie was up to. I had thought she had gotten past the dangerously impulsive behaviour she was known for, but Edna helped me understand.

She pointed out that it's never that easy to break lifelong habits, and those habits were what helped her survive her sadistic bitch of a mother-my words, of course, not Edna's, but mine are so much more appropriate-and men that weren't any better. I cringed when I realized that for some time, I was included in that group. Edna also said the one thing she knew about Stephanie's and my relationship was that Stephanie had never loved anyone the way she loved me. The thought of losing me terrified her, so she would definitely do whatever she thought was best to keep me safe. The thought was honestly a little humbling. I had spent so much of my life trying to keep the people around me safe, it never occurred to me that someone would want to do the same for me.

It was when she asked me what would I do, and how far I would go, to keep Steph safe, that I realized I would do the exact same thing if I were in her situation. In fact, I had spent the better part of the last three years doing exactly that. If Edna was right, then I couldn't fault Steph for the sentiment, but there was no way in hell I'd let her walk out of RangeMan and away from me.

My conversation with Steph's grandmother also had me take a look at some of the patterns that seemed to have formed in our relationship that needed to change.

I called the core team into the office and filled them in on the latest development. I told the guys to go over and pick up the envelope, and watched as they played Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who was going to have to face Stephanie's sex-craved granny. Times like this made me realize how good it was being boss, because I could delegate the task at hand to anyone but me.

We were just wrapping up the meeting as Steph walked onto the floor. As soon as I saw her, I knew she was struggling with herself, and it broke my heart. Part of me wanted to wrap my arms around her and kiss her senseless, because she loved me so much, and the other part wanted to ask her what the hell she was thinking. I ignored both instincts, and wheeled myself over to where she was standing.

"Ranger, could I speak to you in private?" she asked sharply.

Oh, she's calling me Ranger... she hasn't done that since I returned from my mission. I could play that game, too. "Sure, Stephanie. Did you want to discuss the pictures and letter that were left at your grandmother's for you?" I asked a little cooler than I'd intended. I was still a little hurt that she hadn't trusted me enough to come to me, even though I knew why she'd done it.

The color drained from her face when she realized she'd been busted, and she looked like she was about to burst into tears. Any remaining anger or annoyance I felt immediately disappeared.

"Come on, Babe." I reached out my hand towards her and smiled. "Let's go in my office, and you can tell me all about the plan you hatched. Once the guys get back with the letter, we'll get with them and see what our next step will be. Then I think we need to have a serious discussion."

After a few seconds, Steph nodded her head slightly, and followed me into my office before shutting the door.

**SPOV  
**  
"Ranger, could I speak to you in private?" My voice sounded a lot sharper than I'd intended, but I was trying to gear myself up to have my first real fight with Ranger, and I hated it. I had hoped that by using his street name, it would be easier to separate him from the Carlos I loved, but I was wrong, because Ranger was always my best friend.

What he said next literally knocked the wind out of me.

"Sure, Stephanie. Did you want to discuss the pictures and letter that were left at your grandmother's for you?" His tone told me he wasn't happy with me at all.

I felt all the blood drain from my face as I realized that my grandmother must have called him after I left. _Shit! Damnit! Fuck!_ How the hell was I suppose to keep him safe if I didn't stay away from him? And now we _were _going to have our first real fight, because he obviously wasn't happy with me.

"Come on, Babe." He reached his hand out towards me and smiled. "Let's go in my office, and you can tell me all about the plan you hatched. Once the guys get back with the letter, we'll get with them and see what our next step will be. Then I think we need to have a serious discussion."

After a few seconds, I seemed to have found the ability to breathe again, so I nodded to him, took his hand and gave it a squeeze, and followed him. After we were inside, I shut the door, because I was positive this was not a conversation I wanted the Merry Men to be privy to.

He wheeled himself over to the couch, and carefully stood up and moved himself from his wheelchair to the couch. Once he was settled, he patted the cushion beside him. "Have a seat, Babe. We have a lot to discuss."

I looked at him, and then back to the door, trying to decide whether to sit down, or run and keep running until I was far from RangeMan. Unfortunately, I knew the latter idea was pretty much impossible. Carlos might not be able to catch me right now, but he had about twenty or thirty guys at his beck and call that could.

"I'm not going to bite you, Babe. Sit!"

I reluctantly walked over to the couch, but before I could sit down beside him, he grabbed me, pulled me on to his lap, and kissed me to within an inch of my life. When we finally broke apart, I momentarily forgot about my plan, the pictures, and the note. Hell, for a second there, I couldn't even remember my name. Damn, can that man kiss or what? He held me for a few more seconds, before scooting me off his lap and turning me so we were facing each other.

"So, do you want to tell me about your plan?" he asked. Even though I'd expected him to be angry, the slight tilt of his mouth told me he was amused.

Okay, maybe he wasn't as pissed as I'd previously thought.

"I didn't have it all figured out, but basically, I was going to start a fight with you, and try and say things that would make you hate me," I tried to explain.

Now that he knew what was going on, I realized I should have told him the truth all along. I should have trusted him enough to help me deal with it, rather than run away from him. He didn't deserve to be treated that way. I thought I'd changed over the past few months, but the first time I was confronted with something I had trouble handling, I tried to run. What was wrong with me? I was trying to keep myself from crying, but those damn traitorous tears had a mind of their own and before I knew it, they were silently falling down my cheeks. I saw Carlos start to reach for me, but I quickly stood up.

"Don't. Don't try to comfort me. I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you. If you weren't with me, you would be safe right now. If you'd just kept to your plan of not having relationships, you wouldn't be in danger right now."

I laughed dully. "Isn't it ironic? For years, you worried about someone from your past coming back and using me to get to you, but when the situation actually occurs, it's someone using you to get to me." The tears were pouring down my face now, and my voice was steadily rising. "It isn't fair to you! I love you too much. I can't lose you, and if that means I can't be with you, then I can learn to live with that, but I can't exist in a world that you aren't part of."

I had been pacing back and forth in front of Ranger as I rambled, so I was completely surprised when I smashed into his chest and was wrapped in his deliciously strong arms. I hadn't even noticed him getting up, and that was saying something, because it took a lot of effort for Carlos to stand up alone these days.

He held me close as I tried to calm myself down. When I'd calmed down a little, I helped Carlos back to the couch, and we sat in quiet for a few seconds, just enjoying the feel of our arms around each other.

Carlos pulled away slightly and looked in my eyes. "You know, it still amazes me every time you tell me you love me. I always dreamed about a someday with you, but I never let myself believe it would actually happen," he said softly, as he gently stroked my cheek.

Well, alrighty then. That wasn't what I'd expected him to say, but I couldn't deny the warm fuzzies it gave me.

"When your grandmother called and told me about the envelope, I knew you were going to do something to try and walk away from me. I admit, at first, it really pissed me off. I'm not sure if I was angry because you didn't trust me enough to tell me what was going on, or if it was because you would even, for a second, consider walking away from me," he explained, his voice still soft.

I opened my mouth to try and explain, but he hushed me by putting his finger on my lips.

"Let me finish. Your grandmother thought you were planning the same thing I did, and she must have realized I was upset, because she asked me a question that made it all make sense."

I tried to quirk my eyebrow, but as usual, I failed miserably. It got me a semi-smile from Carlos before he continued, so it was worth it.

"She asked me what I would do if I were in your position. Without even thinking about it, I knew I would've done the exact same thing. Actually, it's what I'd been doing to you for years. I pushed you away because I thought it was the only way to keep you safe. I loved you so much that, even though it killed me to do it, I pushed you to _Morelli_ because I thought it was safer there than to have you with me. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I was so busy pushing you away, trying to keep you safe, that I almost lost you forever." His voice caught, and I realized there were actual tears in his eyes. His blank face seemed to have taken a holiday.

"I feel the same way as you do, Stephanie. My world doesn't exist without you in it. Sometimes, I don't think I truly existed until the day you walked into that diner. I love that you want to keep me safe, although I must admit, it terrifies me to realize the extreme measures you're willing to take to ensure my safety. I can't be angry with you, though, because I would have done the same thing. Now that I've had a chance to really think about it, I think we are both wrong."

"But, what? Huh? Did you say we were both wrong?" Obviously, I'm still a stellar wordsmith.

"Yeah, Babe. We're both wrong. We are both stronger, happier, and safer when we are together. I spent years pushing you away to keep you safe, and I won't let you make the same mistake. We can't give this guy what he wants. We can't let him win. We need to focus on finding him and neutralizing him _together. _Now that you're in my life, I can't go back to the way we were before, and I will fight to my last breath to keep you with me. Please, Stephanie, please promise me you won't walk away from me. Promise me you'll stay right here, and we'll find this asshole together, then we can get on with our lives. Promise me," he pleaded.

I was so overwhelmed with the emotions and words that were pouring from Carlos, I couldn't find my voice for a few seconds.

"I promise, Carlos. We're in this together. No more pushing each other away, and no more running," I promised him. His entire body seemed to relax. He gently leaned down and found my lips, barely grazing them for a few seconds before deepening the kiss, but instead of intense passion and lust, I felt more love in that one kiss than I'd felt in my entire life.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie & Jenny. You two are the best and I definitely couldn't have done it without you. **


	39. Chapter 39

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

_"I feel the same way as you do, Stephanie. My world doesn't exist without you in it. Sometimes, I don't think I truly existed until the day you walked into that diner. I love that you want to keep me safe, although I must admit, it terrifies me to realize the extreme measures you're willing to take to ensure my safety. I can't be angry with you, though, because I would have done the same thing. Now that I've had a chance to really think about it, I think we are both wrong."_

"But, what? Huh? Did you say we were both wrong?" Obviously, I'm still a stellar wordsmith.

"Yeah, Babe. We're both wrong. We are both stronger, happier, and safer when we are together. I spent years pushing you away to keep you safe, and I won't let you make the same mistake. We can't give this guy what he wants. We can't let him win. We need to focus on finding him and neutralizing him together. Now that you're in my life, I can't go back to the way we were before, and I will fight to my last breath to keep you with me. Please, Stephanie, please promise me you won't walk away from me. Promise me you'll stay right here, and we'll find this asshole together, then we can get on with our lives. Promise me," he pleaded.

I was so overwhelmed with the emotions and words that were pouring from Carlos, I couldn't find my voice for a few seconds.

"I promise, Carlos. We're in this together. No more pushing each other away, and no more running," I promised him. His entire body seemed to relax. He gently leaned down and found my lips, barely grazing them for a few seconds before deepening the kiss, but instead of intense passion and lust, I felt more love in that one kiss than I'd felt in my entire life. 

**CHAPTER 39**

**SPOV**

Carlos and I slowly drew apart, and got our breath back just before we heard a knock on the door. I expected it to be Tank, but was surprised to see Zero when told him to enter.

"Sir, you have a visitor."

Fortunately, I was able to control the giggle that almost escaped when I saw Zero standing at attention in front of Carlos. I guess these guys never really leave the military.

"Who?" Carlos barked. If I didn't know any better, I would think Carlos was annoyed with the interruption.

"A Ms. Jeanne Ellen Burrows, sir," Zero replied.

My eyes narrowed, and I wondered what on earth Catwoman needed to see my man for. I didn't like it, and for some reason, my Spidey sense was going haywire, but I didn't know why. It was probably just my insecurities. I think I'll always be a little jealous of her. I was sure that was all it was.

"Show her in."

Zero paused, looking unsure of what he should do. "Um..."

"Problem?" Carlos asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, sir. Well, sir, she requested to speak to you in private," he explained, and then turned around and walked out of the room.

My Spidey sense went straight from haywire to overload. I know I have some insecurities, but this was more than that. I was about to tell Carlos, when he turned to me.

"Babe, can you give me a few minutes? Why don't you head upstairs, and I'll meet you up there with the guys shortly?" he requested.

I wanted to say no, but I trusted Carlos, and I could tell him my Spidey sense tingling later. Instead of arguing, I got up and walked over to where Carlos was standing. I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss.

I nodded. "I need to call Mary Lou first and tell her that she doesn't need to come pick me up, and then stop by my office for a second. Do you want me to call Ella and have dinner for all of us sent up?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan. We should be up in about an hour." He leaned down and softly kissed me again.

I turned to walk out of the office, and saw Jeanne Ellen standing at the door, looking at us. For a second, I could have sworn the look on her face was intense hatred, but before I had a chance to think about it, it was gone.

I thought I should at least attempt to be polite to her, so I held out my hand to her. "Hello, Jeanne Ellen. How are you today?"

She smiled sweetly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Good, Stephanie, how are you?" she asked as she shook my hand.

"I'm doing great. Well, I'll get out of your hair so you two can get down to business," I explained before I left. It was more like I used every ounce of will power I had to leave my man alone in his office with a woman I didn't trust.

I walked out the door and down to my office, trying to figure out why I had such an unusual reaction to her. I've been around her a few times before, and never felt this way. I knew it wasn't just because of Carlos. I trusted Carlos implicitly. I had no doubt that he would never cheat on me. So why did I have such a hinky feeling about her? I resolved to talk to Carlos about it later, and walked into my office.

I went through my mail, called Ella and asked her to make dinner for me and the guys, and then headed upstairs. On my way by Carlos' office, I realized the door was shut, and I literally saw green.

_I trust Carlos! I trust Carlos! I trust Carlos!_ I chanted to myself as I got into the elevator and headed up to seven. I noticed that Brent and Woody were in the control room, and were attempting not to laugh, but failing miserably. I'm guessing my chant wasn't just in my head. I sighed. Oh well, maybe I'll break the habit some day.

One thing that little battle with the green dragon just proved... it wasn't jealousy causing my Spidey sense to act up. I am willing to admit that when I saw the door shut, I instantly felt jealous, but that wasn't what I was feeling when they first mentioned Jeanne Ellen's name. I continued to ponder the hinky feeling she gave me until Carlos and the guys came upstairs.

I smiled and greeted the guys before giving Carlos a kiss. When I turned around, I realized Lester was white as a ghost, and his eyes were as wide as quarters.

"Lester, are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

"Bomber, your granny just ain't right," he explained, shaking his head.

Oh great, now what had she done? "What happened, Les?" I noticed all the guys were snickering. This couldn't be good.

"She answered the door in nothing but her birthday suit and a giant ribbon around her waist," he practically yelled. "At least, I think it was a ribbon. Her boobs were hanging so low, they kind of covered it up. God, I'm scarred for life. It was all I could do not to claw my eyes out of my head with my bare hands. And that is still an option, let me tell you. I'm never going to be able to look at a naked woman again without remembering that. My sex life is over. I might as well become a monk," he told me, still hysterical.

By this time, the rest of the guys were laughing hysterically at Lester. I was trying to keep a straight face, but it was just too much. When he said his sex life was over, I started laughing, too.

"Laugh it up, you guys! You wait until it happens to you! I don't care if you fire me, I am _never_ going near that lady again." He gave each of us his version of a death glare. It only succeeded in making us laugh harder.

After we calmed down, we all went into the living room to wait on Ella. While we were waiting, I thought I'd find out just why Catwoman had stopped by for a visit.

"So, what did Jeanne Ellen want?" I asked.

I noticed the corners of Carlos' mouth turn up. "She needed to discuss some business with me."

"What kind of business?" I asked, getting annoyed.

Before he had a chance to answer, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID, then wheeled himself into our bedroom and shut the door.

I wasn't sure how to take that, but I did know that it bothered me. Who could he be talking to that he didn't want me to know about? I tabled these thoughts, and started listening to the guys still giving Lester a rough time about my grandma.

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a tad bit?" Bobby asked.

"Are you kidding me? I'm going to need to go to counseling to get over this, I'm so traumatized," Lester whined.

"Oh, stop being such a big baby," Tank told him, punching him in the shoulder.

Lester rubbed his shoulder and glared. "Screw you!"

They continued to bicker back and forth for a few minutes, until I heard a knock at the door. I got up and let Ella in.

"Hi, Ella!"

"Hello, Stephanie. How are you this evening?" she asked as she wheeled dinner into the dinning room and started setting it up.

"I'm good. Here, let me help you with that," I offered.

She waved me away. "I've got it, but thank you, dear."

As she set our meal out, I noticed she had made chocolate cake for dessert. "I love you, Ella," I confessed as I drooled over the dessert.

She chuckled. "I love you, too, dear," she told me before heading back out of the apartment.

The guys filed to the table as soon as she left, and Carlos joined us shortly after.

"Who was that?" I asked curiously.

"No one," he replied coldly.

I was surprised and a little hurt, but I didn't say anything. He was entitled to his privacy. I noticed the guys were all looking at him strangely, but since they didn't say anything, I decided to just move on.

I didn't ask him anymore questions while we were eating, because I was too busy enjoying the delicious food. About halfway through my meal, I realized the table had gone completely silent. I looked up, and noticed that Tank, Bobby, and Lester were all looking at me with extremely pained expressions, and Carlos' eyes were completely black with lust. Oops!

I felt myself flush "What, can't a girl enjoy a meal?"

"If you enjoy your meal any more, I might just cum in my pants," Lester smirked, and then was promptly smacked on the back of the head by Bobby and Tank.

"Santos!" Carlos growled.

"What?" he asked innocently. Guess he had gotten over the trauma of seeing my grandma naked.

We finished up dinner, and then gathered in the living room to talk about the stalker. Before we started that conversation, I wanted to know what Jeanne Ellen had wanted.

"So what kind of business did Jeanne Ellen need to speak to you about?" I asked again.

"I told you, just business," he replied.

I decided I should tell him about my Spidey sense going crazy, so he would understand why I was asking. He had always told me to trust my instincts, so I thought he'd be at least a little more receptive to my questions.

"I have a strange feeling about her being here, Carlos. For some reason, I think she's up to something," I tried to explain.

He stared at me with his blank face firmly in place and shook his head. "She needs some help with a case, and asked me to help her. That's all there is to it," he explained, and then focused on the guys. "Did you find anything on the latest letter?"

I was immediately pissed off. "Why exactly is it you can't tell me what she wanted, Ranger?"

He turned back to me. "Because she asked me not to. It isn't personal. She just wants as few people as possible involved."

"Oh, and did she ask you to keep it from Tank, Lester, and Bobby?"

He looked at me again, and I could see the anger building. "No, those were the only other people she wanted to have involved."

"So is that what the phone call was about before dinner?" I asked, getting more and more angry.

"No, that was a personal phone call. Now, if you're done with your bout of jealousy, can we please move on to the problem at hand?"

I felt as if he had slapped me. Not only was he ignoring my concerns about Jeanne Ellen and completely dismissing them as jealousy, but he was still keeping me on the fringes of his personal life, as well.

Since he'd been back, I had started to notice that although he had let me into his life a little more than I had been before the incident, by telling me a little about his past and his family, he had yet to show me anything. When he got back from his mission, I asked if he wanted me to call his family or Julie, and he had quickly shot me down, saying he didn't want to worry them. I'd even offered to take him to visit them after he was out of the hospital, but he told me we'd go sometime later.

I had been telling myself that it was just timing, and the fact that we had so much going on, but now all the old fears quickly came back. I wondered if he would ever completely trust me enough to not keep things from me. I could deal with not knowing about his missions, but keeping me in the dark about the rest of his life was not something I was sure I would be able to accept.

"So when you told me you still wanted me to help you run RangeMan, you didn't really mean as an equal partner, did you? When you told me I should trust my instincts, you meant to trust them only when it was convenient for you. Is that it? And when you told me you wanted me to be a part of your life, you meant only to the extent you felt comfortable letting me in. Right?" My voice rose with every question.

"Well, you know what, Ranger? That isn't going cut it. Our relationship can't be all about you and what you're comfortable with. If I'm an equal partner in RangeMan, than treat me like it. If you don't trust me or respect me enough to listen to my concerns about Jeanne Ellen, then we are wasting our time together. I admit, I will always be a little jealous of her, but I would never be so petty to try and cause problems with RangeMan over a little jealousy."

I stood up from the couch and walked to the kitchen to get my bag. The anger I was feeling was quickly being overshadowed by the hurt.

"You have always told me to trust my instincts, and the first time I actually do, you completely blow me off. You guys go right ahead and discuss the stalker. Obviously, my input is only important when it doesn't inconvience Ranger. I'm going to go see Mary Lou. Don't worry, I'll be sure to stop on five and get whatever Merry Man is scheduled for Bomber watch," I told them as I headed out the door to the elevator.

**TBC...**

**Connie & Jen you two are the best! Thanks for all your hard work.**


	40. Chapter 40

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY: **_

_"So when you told me you still wanted me to help you run RangeMan, you didn't really mean as an equal partner, did you? When you told me I should trust my instincts, you meant to trust them only when it was convenient for you. Is that it? And when you told me you wanted me to be a part of your life, you meant only to the extent you felt comfortable letting me in. Right?" My voice rose with every question._

"Well, you know what, Ranger? That isn't going cut it. Our relationship can't be all about you and what you're comfortable with. If I'm an equal partner in RangeMan, than treat me like it. If you don't trust me or respect me enough to listen to my concerns about Jeanne Ellen, then we are wasting our time together. I admit, I will always be a little jealous of her, but I would never be so petty to try and cause problems with RangeMan over a little jealousy."

_I stood up from the couch and walked to the kitchen to get my bag. The anger I was feeling was quickly being overshadowed by the hurt._

"You have always told me to trust my instincts, and the first time I actually do, you completely blow me off. You guys go right ahead and discuss the stalker. Obviously, my input is only important when it doesn't inconvience Ranger. I'm going to go see Mary Lou. Don't worry, I'll be sure to stop on five and get whatever Merry Man is scheduled for Bomber watch," I told them as I headed out the door to the elevator.

**CHAPTER 40**

**RPOV**

I watched as Steph practically ran out of our apartment, and wondered what the hell had just happened and how things could have gone so wrong so quickly. I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard Tank speak up.

"You know, Ranger, you're my best friend, but I gotta say, when I see the crap you put that girl through, I really want to beat the shit out of you," he told me angrily.

When I turned to face Bobby and Lester, I realized they were upset with me, too.

"What the hell did I do? It isn't my fault Jeanne Ellen didn't want Steph involved. She told me the case she was working involved a few people from the 'Burg, so she didn't want Steph to know about it. I told her she could trust Steph, but she told me she wasn't comfortable with it, and since she's the client, I couldn't go against her wishes," I tried to explain.

I continued, completely confused. "And the phone call was just my mother. It wasn't anything important, so what is the big deal?"

"You've told us for years that Steph has some of the best instincts you've ever seen, and if she'd just learn to listen to them, she'd be unstoppable, but the first time she decided to do that, you accused her of being jealous. You're an ass, Ranger. If you want Steph to help run RangeMan, then she deserves to be involved in everything that involves the company. When you started this company, you said that nothing was more important than the trust we have in each other. If a client ever insisted that Tank, Bobby, or I be kept out of the loop, you would turn them down flat. So why doesn't that extend to Stephanie? I think she's more than earned it," Lester spat out. I could feel the anger rolling off him.

"Are you ever going to let her in, or are you always going to keep her at arm's length? Because you're going to lose her if you do. She's not the same girl you left six months ago. She worked her ass off, and has become a real asset to this company and a little sister to every man here," Bobby added angrily.

I immediately understood the unspoken threat about her being their little sister, meaning they would do anything to protect her even if it was from me.

Not to be left out, Tank added his two cents. "Why couldn't you just tell her it was your mother on the phone? Why do you want to hide things from her? It's going to end up pushing her away from you, and it will be your own fault. You can't be halfway in a relationship, Ric, especially with someone like Stephanie. You need to decide right now if you are going to let her all the way in or not, because if you aren't, or don't think you can, then you're wasting Bomber's time, as well as your own.

"She has given you everything, man. She's let you into every facet of her life; she's stronger, she's trained, and she has done everything she can to be someone that you and she will both be proud of, and you're still holding back on her. It's wrong, and she deserves better. You need to make a decision now, because I won't let you hurt her. She's been torn apart by half the people that claimed to love her. I won't let you be just another asshole that expects her to give you everything, but isn't willing to give her anything in return." When he finished, he got up and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

I turned to look at Bobby and Lester, trying to come up with some explaination for my behavior so they would understand. Instead, I found two very angry sets of eyes glaring at me, and was surprised when it was Bobby who spoke up.

"I completely agree with everything Tank just said. She deserves better, and if you can't, or won't, give it to her, then let her go, or I'll be right behind Tank when he's done kicking your ass," he growled before leaving, with Lester following close behind.

What the fuck had just happened? When had all my men turned against me? I'd thought things with Steph and I were going well, but from the verbal lashing my friends had just dealt out, I wasn't so sure. I went and grabbed a beer from the fridge, then chugged it. I took a few minutes to think about what they had said to me, and realized they were right. I have always thought Steph had amazing instincts, and the first time she'd finally had the nerve to tell me about them, I'd totally dismissed her like a jealous lover. Some sick part of me liked the idea of her being jealous, even when she didn't have a reason, and that part of me wanted to believe that's all Steph's problem with Jeanne Ellen was, but what if it was more? She deserved to be taken seriously, and not dismissed just because the idea of her being jealous seemed to stroke my ego.

I brought my hands to my face, and ran them through my hair. Ugh! I am such an asshole! I hadn't been opening up to her the way I should. Why didn't I just say it was my mom on the phone? I didn't care if she knew, but I was so used to keeping everything to myself, I hadn't even thought about my answer. I should have already taken her to meet my family. She'd even offered to take me to see them, but for some reason, I shot her down, and I don't even know why. Actually, I did. I loved Stephanie, and I didn't want her to meet my family, because I wasn't sure how they would react. My stepfather and Cecila would love her, but it was the rest of them I was worried about. Yes, I'd told her about them, but it wasn't the same. I knew it, and apparently, so did she. I grabbed another beer, and continued thinking about my mistakes.

Since the day I decided to make our someday a reality, I had tried to open up, but with her _accident, _the stalker, and then my mission and injuries, we were constantly going through some sort of drama. We'd never really had the chance to do what most people do when they were in a relationship. Sure, it was true, I'd told her stories about my childhood and family, but I still guarded myself, and never let her all the way in. I had only told her the good stories; she still didn't know how dark my childhood was, and that was because I was embarrassed to tell her, not because I didn't want her to know.

Fuck, why hadn't I just told Jeanne Ellen that leaving Steph out was a deal breaker? I didn't need the money for the case, and Lester was right, I'd have turned her down flat if she'd told me to keep one of them out of the loop. Stephanie had more than earned the same level of respect. She never asked for much from anyone. All she wanted was for me to love and respect her. She just wanted to be a part of my life, and she wanted me to let her see me. All of me. My friends were right about her deserving better, and I would do everything I could from this moment on to give it to her, because I couldn't risk losing her. I'd give up everything I owned before I lost Stephanie Plum.

**SPOV**

I got off the elevator on five, and went to the comm room to see who was stuck babysitting me today. I was trying very hard not to cry, and I thought I was succeeding rather well. I guess my ability for denial could be used for a good reason; you know, like not bawling my eyes out in front of the entire office and looking like a baby. I saw Binkie sitting at the monitors, and walked over to him.

"Hey, Binkie! Who's on Bomber duty? I wanted to go over to my friend, Mary Lou's."

He grabbed a clipboard and looked at it. "Looks like it's Hal. He's in his cubby, I think."

I nodded my head, and walked over to Hal's cubicle. "Hey, Hal, you mind riding over to Mary Lou's with me?" I asked, proud that my voice wasn't quivering.

He looked up at me, and his face was instantly concerned. "Sure, Steph. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, you just look upset." He grabbed his things, and we walked to the elevator.

"Oh, it's just this stalker crap. It's stressing me out," I lied, figuring it was definitely believable.

"Don't worry about it, Steph, we've got your back. We won't let anything happen to you," he told me as we rode down the elevator.

I gave him a geniune smile. "I know." And I did. I trusted all the Merry Men with my life, and hopefully they could now trust me with theirs. Too bad Carlos didn't trust me enough to even listen to what I had to say about Jeanne Ellen.

I was lost in thought the entire way to Mary Lou's. I didn't know if I was more angry or hurt. As far as I could tell, both emotions were running neck and neck. I'd thought Carlos and I were doing well as a couple, but today I realized he was still hiding things from me. I wasn't sure if I could accept being on the fringes of his life, and it was looking like that's how it might always be. I guess I needed to decide if the fringes were enough.

I was brought out of my revery when we pulled in front of Mary Lou's house. I waited for Hal to open the door for me, and we went to the door. I knocked, and Mary Lou opened the door, looking surprised, but quickly ushered me inside. Hal told me he'd wait in the truck, and I was grateful, because I needed some privacy.

"Hey, girl. I didn't expect to see you tonight. I thought you and Ranger had everything worked out," Mary Lou said.

I sighed, feeling tears burn my eyes. "I thought we did, too, but now I'm not so sure."

"Lenny!" she yelled.

"Yeah, Lou?" Lenny replied as he meandered into the room.

"Take the boys out for an ice cream," she told him, obviously thinking we needed some peace and quiet for our conversation.

I saw him look at me, then her, before he nodded and proceeded to get the boys out the door in a rather orderly fashion I wouldn't have thought him capable of.

As soon as they left, Mary Lou turned to me. "Okay, tell me what happened."

I proceeded to tell her everything that had happened today.

When I finished, I had tears streaming down my face, and I was straight up blubbering, because during my recount of today's events, I had realized that living on the fringes of Carlos' life wasn't enough. I finally calmed down enough to finish my diatribe.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Lou. I love him more than I ever thought possible, but I can't live on the outside anymore. I can't be with him if he isn't going to let me be in all aspects of his life. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

"And the fact that he just dismissed my feelings about Jeanne Ellen as jealousy really has me questioning if he actually has the faith in me that he has always claimed to have. I'm not denying that there is something about that woman that makes me want to slowly gouge her eyes out with a wooden spoon, but that isn't what this is about. I honestly have a hinky feeling about her showing up right now, but I can't even explain it to myself why as to why, let alone explain it to Carlos. Not that he wants to hear what I have to say anyway," I finished, feeling completely lost.

Mary Lou had done what all best friends do, sitting patiently, listening to everything that was going on in my head. When I finished, she gave me a big hug, and then sat down and looked at me.

"Steph, you have every right to feel the way you do now. Carlos was an asshole today, and I understand why it hurts you so much. If I was in your shoes right now, I would be just as angry and hurt as you are, but since I'm not, I can see this a little differently than you," she told me cautiously.

I was flabbergasted. Was my best friend going to tell me I was overreacting, or that my fears were ridicioulous?

"Now, Steph, don't get worked up until you hear what I'm saying. Carlos was a total ass today, and you should most definitely make sure he knows what he did will not fly with you, but if I'm correct, Carlos has a habit of keeping people out. You told me that after your accident, he consciously tried to change that, and he slowly started to open up to you, right?"

I just nodded my head, because she was right. He had _tried_ to open up to me more.

"Well, I think after today, you can see it's not easy to break habits you've had for years. You admit that as soon as you thought Carlos was in trouble, your first instinct was to run away from him, rather than trying to work with him to solve the problem. When you were stressed, you reverted to your habit of running, even though you've spent the past six months trying to think things through before acting." She reached over and squeezed my hand.

"Breaking an old habit isn't easy, is it?"

I shook my head, and started to see where she was coming from.

"Now... the jealousy remark. As insulting as it was, I honestly think Carlos was just being a guy," she shrugged.

I looked at her, trying to understand what she meant. She realized I was confused, and took pity on me.

"As much as they deny it, men love it when we get jealous over another woman. It totally plays on their ego, and although Carlos might generally be a wonderful man, he _is_ still a man. I have watched the two of you over the past few years, and the one thing I'm positive of, is that he has more faith in you than anyone other than me and your father. Actually, maybe even more, because he seems to understand you in a way that not even your dad and I can," she added, sounding like this little fact was hard for her to admit.

"He has always treated you with respect, and minus the whole 'pushing you away to keep you safe' thing, he has always cared about your feelings. I honestly think he just fucked up. I could be wrong, and if you go back and he keeps trying to keep you out and not listen to what you have to say, I'll eat my words and buy you a new pair of FMPs, but I don't think I am. I think he had a bad day, and he reacted like an ass, but we all screw up. He's not Batman, Steph. I know he is your own personal hero, and he has more than earned that title, but he's not a superhero. If you keep expecting him to be perfect and never screw up, you're going to be very disappointed. No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes."

She smiled. "I'm not saying he should get off scott-free, but I think you should at least give him a chance to prove he knows he screwed up and to make it right. He gave you a chance today after he found out about your plan, so don't you think you should give him the same opportunity?" she asked. We sat in comfortable silence, Lou giving me a few minutes to process all she had said.

"Now, if he doesn't clean his act up, I will help you find a way to add fat to every food he eats, so he gains like twenty pounds and never figures out why." As she teased me, there was a wicked gleam in her eye.

It made me laugh. That would definitely be a good way to get even with Carlos. I got up and went to the bathroom to clean myself up. I knew I looked like a mess, but there was only so much you could do with red puffy eyes and a snotty runny nose.

I came out of the bathroom and found Mary Lou in the kitchen, trying to clean some of the ice cream off the boys' faces.

I smiled at her and gave her a big hug.

"Thanks for listening to me while I had a nervous breakdown."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. That wasn't half as bad as the breakdown I had last time I thought I was pregnant," she said, laughing.

I smiled at her, as I remembered the gallons of ice cream and boxes of Kleenex we had gone through that day. With one last hug, I said goodbye and walked out to the Explorer, where Hal was waiting. I noticed his eyes widen when he saw me, and I knew he could tell I'd been crying. I gave him a small smile and climbed inside.

"Take me home, Hal."

He looked at me for a second, and then pulled out. I spent the ride back to Haywood thinking about what Mary Lou had said. She was right. Carlos deserved a chance to prove he could change. He hadn't even yelled at me today when he learned about my plan to get away from him, so I guess the privacy thing was something I could give him a chance to work on. I also realized that when I first got my hinky feeling about Jeanne Ellen, my automatic response had been to push it aside and atribute it to jealousy, just as Carlos had. It didn't make Carlos' reaction okay, but at least I could understand it.

I sighed as we pulled into the garage on Haywood. I was tired, and didn't want to face Carlos yet, but considering he would probably be between me and the bed, I figured I should put on my big girl panties and get it over with.

I let myself into our apartment, and was a little surprised to be met with silence. I knew Carlos was there from the tingly sensation that always vibrates down my spine when he was near. I thought maybe he was in bed, and I wouldn't have to have this conversation yet, but considering it was only around eight o'clock, I knew he wasn't. I walked into the living room, and was surprised to find Carlos sitting in the dark, with his head in his hands and two empty beers in front of him. Huh, not what I'd expected to find.

He finally looked up at me, and watched as I walked into the living room and sat down beside him. He looked sad, and I wasn't sure what to say, so we sat there for a few minutes in silence.

Surprisingly, it was Carlos that broke the silence. "I'm sorry, Babe. I was a total asshole, and I'm so sorry."

**TBC...**

**THANKS BUNCHES JENNY & CONNIE!**


	41. Chapter 41

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:  
**__I sighed as we pulled into the garage on Haywood. I was tired, and didn't want to face Carlos yet, but considering he would probably be between me and the bed, I figured I should put on my big girl panties and get it over with._

_I let myself into our apartment, and was a little surprised to be met with silence. I knew Carlos was there from the tingly sensation that always vibrates down my spine when he was near. I thought maybe he was in bed, and I wouldn't have to have this conversation yet, but considering it was only around eight o'clock, I knew he wasn't. I walked into the living room, and was surprised to find Carlos sitting in the dark, with his head in his hands and two empty beers in front of him. Huh, not what I'd expected to find._

_He finally looked up at me, and watched as I walked into the living room and sat down beside him. He looked sad, and I wasn't sure what to say, so we sat there for a few minutes in silence. _

_Surprisingly, it was Carlos that broke the silence. "I'm sorry, Babe. I was a total asshole, and I'm so sorry."_

**CHAPTER 41**

**SPOV**

I sat and stared at Carlos for a second. I was honestly shocked that he'd apologized, and he seemed to be genuinely upset. After a few more seconds of silence, he continued on with a sigh.

"First, I need to apologize for dismissing your feelings about Jeanne Ellen. I value your instincts more than anyone I've ever known, and have tried for years to get you to trust them, but the first time you do, I completely dismiss them. I don't have an excuse, other than the fact that I liked the idea of you being jealous, because it showed how much you cared about me. Not that that's an excuse."

My eyes widened at this admission. Did he not know how much he meant to me? I started to speak, but he stopped me.

"Let me say all I have to say, and then you can go into rhino mode after," he said with a sad half-smile.

I just nodded my head.

"I didn't tell you about the case Jeanne Ellen wanted to see me about, because she requested that you be kept uninformed, since it involved people from the 'Burg," he continued.

I felt my anger slowly start to boil when he said this, but I wasn't sure who I wanted to hurt more; Carlos for agreeing to it or Jeanne Ellen for requesting it.

"I told her you could be trusted, but she still insisted. I should have told her that keeping you out of the loop was a deal breaker, and that is what I plan to tell her when I speak to her again. I would never be willing to keep Tank, Lester, or Bobby out of the loop, and you have more than earned the same respect. I don't know why I didn't do it immediately, but I just screwed up." He reached over and entwined our fingers.

I could tell he wasn't finished, but he seemed to be trying to decide something before he continued, so I tried to wait patiently, even though patience isn't my strong suit. The anger I had felt earlier was slowly diminishing.

"The phone call was from my mother. I honestly wasn't trying to hide it from you. I just answered your question the way I'd conditioned myself to answer personal questions, by not telling anyone anything. It was an automatic reaction, and I definitely didn't do it to keep you out of my life, even though I'm sure it seemed like it. I know you've mentioned me visiting my family a few times, and I've turned you down, but it isn't because I don't want you to meet them. I'm more afraid you'll hate them or they will treat you badly. I never know with them." He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

It was a very Joe-like move, and it kind of caught me off guard, but it also made me smile, because in that instance, he looked more human and vulnerable than I had ever seen him. It also made me see how very hard this was for him. I squeezed his hand, and waited for him to continue.

"I told you I grew up in the Cuban version of the 'Burg. In the 'Burg, everyone is expected to marry an Italian, and in my neighborhood, everyone is expected to marry Cuban. My mother and three sisters take this very seriously. I honestly don't give a rat's ass what the four of them think, because we have a very... I guess the best word would be...strained relationship. My sister, Celia, and my stepfather are great, and I know they will love you, but I don't really get along with the rest of my family." He stopped talking for a few seconds, and looked out the window, but it looked like he was somewhere else far away.

Before I could control it, my curiosity overran my brain and forced the word out. "Why?" I regretted it immediately, because I didn't want to pressure him. He was trying to open up to me, and I had probably just given him a reason to clam up. I was surprised when he actually answered me.

"I know I've told you a little about my childhood, but I have only told you the few good memories I had. Most of my childhood was extremely dark, which is probably why I didn't have a problem choosing a lifestyle as dark as mine." He smiled a little. "Of course, that was before you came into my life."

I leaned over and kissed his temple. "It's okay, Carlos. I love you no matter what, and if you don't want to tell me, you don't need to." I really wanted to know what he had been through, but I didn't want him to have to relive it if it was this hard for him.

"No, I think you should know. It might help you understand me a little more, and it will definitely help you understand my relationship with my family."

I squeezed his hand again, letting him know I was there for him, and waited until he was ready to continue.

"My mother's name is Mariela, and my father's name is Ernesto. Technically, he's my stepfather, but that isn't important. As you know, I have four sisters and one brother. Actually, I_ had_ one brother; he was killed when he was five, while riding his bike. It was a hit and run, and no one was ever arrested or charged. His name was Nicolas, but we called him Niko. He was the baby of the family, and was spoiled rotten." He smiled at the memory. "Losing him was one of the hardest things I ever lived through." The smile faded, and was replaced with the pain he still felt over the loss.

"My sister's names are Celia, Havana, Lucia, and Carmen. Celia is a year younger than I am, and still single. She has her own real estate company in New York City, and does extremely well for herself. The rest of my sisters are stay-at-home moms. They are all married to respectable Cuban men, and don't really associate with anyone outside the Cuban community."

"Before my mother met Ernesto, she was married to my biological father. His name was Gerardo Rodriguez. At eighteen, I changed my name to my stepfather's name, because I didn't want anything from my birth father, not even his last name. My biological father was a real bastard and an alcoholic. I spent most of my first fifteen years either being beaten, or recovering from being beaten. I was the oldest, so I did everything I could to keep my sisters and baby brother safe. If my sisters did something to upset him, I'd do something worse so he would focus his rage on me instead of them. If my baby brother acted up, I'd break a window or whatever I could think of to make sure my father wouldn't touch him. I even tried to keep him away from my mother, but I wasn't as successful at protecting her.

"I was thirteen when Niko was killed. My mother had a breakdown and was committed for a few months, so we were left alone with our father. Between losing my brother, and the bender my dad went on, those months were the worst of my life. I came home from school one day and found all of my brother's things outside, waiting to be hauled away with the garbage. I went through and grabbed a few things I wanted to keep to remember him by, and then went inside." He paused for a few minutes. He was very tense, and it felt like he was trying to get the courage to continue.

I climbed on his lap and wrapped my arms around him. I felt the tension in him lessen a little, but it was still there.

"I walked inside and started to take the few things I'd selected up to the bedroom I had shared with Niko. My father noticed what I had done, and flipped out, demanding that I take it all back to the trash. I refused, and continued up to my room, trying to ignore him, but he didn't like to be ignored. He came after me and gave me the worst beating of my life. I woke up two days later in the hospital, with numerous broken bones, bruised kidneys, a punctured lung, and bruises from head to toe."

I was stunned. "Did they arrest your father?"

He gave me his half smile. "Things weren't as strict when we were younger. My dad said I fell down some steps, and everyone took him at his word. It was easier to believe him than to believe the alternative. He was well liked in the community, because he was a great guy outside the house. Very few people knew the real Gerardo that existed behind closed doors."

My heart broke for him. He was an incredible man, and he had overcome so much to be the man he was today. It wasn't lost on me that Joe and Carlos seemed to have similar backgrounds, although Carlos' seemed to be worse. It was amazing how differently they had both turned out. I heard Carlos take a deep breath before he continued.

"When I came home from the hospital, Celia snuck into my room and gave me the things of Niko's that I had tried to keep. She had snuck out while my father was taking me to the hospital and hid them for me. She seemed to be the only person in my family that noticed I had always tried to keep them safe. If she wasn't, then she was definitely the only person who appreciated it. She always did small things for me after I'd been slapped around, acknowledging that she saw what I was doing and appreciated it. My other sisters just seemed to think I was a bad kid that got what I deserved," he said bitterly.

"After I got out of the hospital, I decided I was going to do anything I could to make sure he never did that to me again. I started running with an older crowd, and became involved with a gang. They taught me how to street fight, and I started lifting weights on my own. I even took up boxing. As I got older, the beatings lessened. I didn't have to cover for my sisters as much, because they were old enough to not act up, so the only time I got beaten was normally for something I'd done while I was out on the streets.

"Although the amount of beatings lessened, they became increasingly more vicious. My body was changing, and with the, for lack of a better word, 'training' I was getting on the streets; I was able to handle the beatings better. One night when I was fifteen, I was sneaking in after going for a joy ride in a car we'd stolen, and I found my father waiting for me. He came at me like he always did, but this time was different. This time, I'd had enough, and defended myself. I actually beat the shit out of him before I finally heard my mother and sisters screaming at me to stop."

I looked into his chocolate brown eyes, and there I saw a man that looked weary and sad. The pain in his face took my breath away.

"My mother called an ambulance, and they took him to the hospital. I hadn't done as much damage to him as he did to me, but it was enough to keep him overnight. When my mother came back, she screamed and yelled at me for hours. When she finally let up, I went upstairs and went to sleep for the first time in fifteen years without being afraid.

"The next day, my mother went to the hospital to check on my father, but he wasn't there. All she found was a note he'd left at the nurse's station that said 'I'm leaving. I won't be back. I'll send you the divorce papers.' That was it. After I put up with fifteen years of beatings from him, he couldn't handle one from me without running away. At first, I was relieved and thought it was a great thing, until I got home that night and my mother told me to get out of the house. She told me I wasn't welcome there anymore, and she never wanted to see me again. She said I had ruined her life and all my sisters' lives as well. I didn't even fight her. I went upstairs, packed a bag, and said goodbye to Celia. She begged me not to go, but she was the only one that felt that way. My other sisters completely agreed with my mother." He paused for a moment, obviously still hurt by their betrayal.

His mother's words eerily echoed the words my mother had said to me. I could understand why Carlos was worried I would hate them. I already did. How could anyone treat someone as amazing as Carlos like that, especially after all he'd done for them? I thought about the way my mother had treated me, and could only imagine how hard it had been for him.

"When I left the house, I walked around aimlessly for hours, trying to decide where to go and what to do. A few of my friends had gone to jail for attempted robbery a few weeks before, and I knew I didn't want to end up there myself, but if I stayed with my friends, that would probably be my future. I slept on the streets that night, and the next morning, I decided to go to Florida to live with my Abuela Rosa. I started fresh down there, and stayed out of trouble. I continued working out and boxing, and I also started learning martial arts. I met Tank in one of my martial arts classes, and we hit it off immediately. Before I knew it, he had introduced me to Bobby, and then Lester moved in with my grandmother, too. We were inseparable after that. I was happy for probably the first time in my life.

"I kept in touch with Celia, and about a year after I left, she told me Mom was getting remarried to Ernesto Manoso. He was widowed, and had been our neighbor and a good friend of the family for as long as I could remember. He owned numerous car dealerships around the state, and was trying to expand his company even more. I was surprised shortly after the wedding, when he reached out to me. He came to Miami without my mother and sisters, and asked to see me."

Huh, guess I finally know where the endless supply of black cars comes from.

I felt the rest of the tension in his body drain, and he actually looked happy thinking about this memory. I was instantly grateful for Ernesto being in Carlos' life, even before he told me anything about him.

"I agreed to see him, because Celia had told me that he had asked about me, and was appalled to find out why I had moved to Miami. He was evidently aware of my father's anger problems, and was upset with my mother and sisters for their treatment of me, especially after he had a long talk with Celia, and she explained that no one else besides my mother was ever subjected to his anger and why. The first time he visited, he just wanted to see how I was doing and make sure I didn't need anything. We talked for a while, and he told me he knew my childhood had been difficult, but now that my father was out of the picture, I was more than welcome to come home. I was a little leery of him, even though he had always been good to me.

"I actually liked living in Miami, so I didn't think moving back to Newark was in my best interest. I also wasn't sure what my mother and sisters actually thought about me moving home. They would agree to it, but that didn't mean they would be happy about it. He understood my need to stay in Miami, and said he would help me any way he could. And he did. Over the next few years, he sent my grandmother and me money so we wouldn't have to struggle. He eventually moved my grandmother to Trenton, once I had moved away and she was on her own. What mattered more to me was that he would come and check on me every few months, and spend the weekend with me. He even called me at least once a week to make sure I was staying out of trouble and keeping my grades up." He smiled.

"After his second visit, I asked him why he was bothering with me, because I honestly didn't understand what he was getting out of it. He explained that he'd had a similar childhood, and had always promised himself if he ever had the opportunity to be a father, he would do better. He knew I wasn't his son, but because he couldn't have any children, I was the closest he would ever come to having a son, and he wanted to give me what he never had: support, encouragement, and love. From that point on, I considered him my father. In those few visits and phone calls since he had first reached out to me, he had given me more than my biological father ever had. When I turned eighteen, I asked his permission to take his name. He had already adopted all the girls, but he had told me it was my decision if I chose to take his name."

By this point, I had tears silently rolling down my face as I learned all Carlos had been through. I was surprised to learn his name hadn't always been Manoso, but it didn't matter one way or the other. I looked forward to meeting his father if I ever had the chance, but I still wasn't sure about his mother and sisters.

"I moved back to New Jersey when I turned eighteen, and enrolled at Rutgers. I lived on campus, because the relationship between my mother and three sisters was still strained. Ernesto did everything he could to make it better, but he wasn't a miracle worker. Some things are never the same once you break them. After two years at Rutgers, I knew college life wasn't for me, so I decided to enlist. I chose the Army, because I knew Ernesto had served in the Army during Vietnam, and I wanted to do something that would make him proud.

"About a year after I joined the Rangers, I came home on leave. Ernesto was thrilled to see me, and told me over and over how proud he was. I tried to talk to my mother and sisters, but instead of the anger I used to see when I looked at them, I saw fear. I knew then we'd never really repair our relationship, and I tried to make peace with it. I still don't see a lot of my mother and three sisters, but I try and make time for Celia and Ernesto when I can. My mother was calling me to tell me about his surprise 60th birthday party. It was the first time I've talked to her in almost a year," he admitted.

He got quiet after that, and I knew he was done with his story. I continued to hold on to him trying to think of the right words to say.

"Carlos, I can't even tell you how much it hurts to know what you've been through. I'm so sorry you had to grow up like that."

He started to speak, but I stopped him.

"I don't even know how to express how much it means to me that you were willing to share that part of your life with me. I hope someday I'll get to meet Ernesto and Celia, because they are obviously important to you, but I don't need to meet them until you are ready." I stopped trying to figure out how to approach the Jeanne Ellen situation.

"As for Jeanne Ellen..."

I felt him begin to tense up again.

"Don't worry, I'm not headed for rhino mode," I told him with a smile.

That got me a slight grin.

"The way you handled the situation was wrong. If you want me to be part of the team, I need to be treated like an equal member, but if you don't, just tell me now, and I can go back to doing searches and distractions, and maybe some bounty hunting for Vinnie on the side."

"No, Babe. Please believe me when I say I want you to be part of the RangeMan management. You've more than earned it. I just really fucked up today," he admitted, sounding ashamed.

"Okay, how about we forget today ever happened? I screwed up today and tried to run away from you, reverting to my act now-think later philosophy. You were understanding about my reaction to the letter and pictures today, and my reaction proves that old habits are hard to break. I understand that opening up to me isn't easy, but as long as I see you making the effort, I'll try and be understanding. The thing with Jeanne Ellen, though, it can't happen again. I'm either part of the team, or not. You either trust my instincts, or you don't."

"I trust your instinct as much as I trust my own, Stephanie, and I will never dismiss you that way again."

"Okay, well, let's just chalk today up to a learning experience for both of us."

He laughed. "Sounds like a plan. So, would you like to go to my father's 60th birthday party? I can't promise you fun, but I can guarantee it will be interesting, and I would love for you to meet Celia and my dad."

The tightness I realized was in my chest today suddenly lessened. "I would love to," I told him, before kissing him with everything I had.

We kissed for several long minutes, pausing only to breathe. Even then, we stayed close; we were breathing each other in. I sighed happily as Carlos ran his palms softly up my arms, past my shoulders and up to cup my face.

"Babe," he started softly, "I want to take you to the bedroom and show you how much I love and appreciate you. Will you let me do that?"

There wasn't even a moment's hesitation, and I looked deep into his dark eyes and whispered, "Please."

The last of the tension around his eyes faded, the storm within him finally calming as I stood up, letting him slide into his wheelchair. He pulled me onto his lap, and then moved us to the bedroom as quickly as he could. When we got into the room, he gently elbowed the door closed behind us, then wheeled us to the bed. He began to move me from his lap, and I whimpered, not wanting to be away from him just yet. I was rewarded when he stood, then followed me down.

His body pressed me into the mattress, the weight of him setting my nerves on fire as I felt him against my body. Without a word, I tangled my fingers in his hair and pulled his head to mine, needing to feel his lips on mine again.

Kissing Carlos was like a drug to me. What could have been hours later, I felt like I was flying as he pulled away and sat up, quickly divesting himself of his clothes. When he was deliciously naked, he helped me sit up, and soon, my clothes had joined his on the floor of the bedroom.

As I lay back on the bed, Carlos began trailing a line of soft, sensuous kisses down my body. I shivered when his tongue left a damp path around my breasts, and when he laved first one nipple and then the other, I whimpered again as they tightened into taut little nubs.

Spurred on by my reaction, he continued down, pausing to dip his tongue into my navel, chuckling softly when I squirmed. Just before I could protest, he nipped my skin softly, and lowered himself between my legs.

"Dios, Babe," Carlos said, his voice husky with desire. "I want to taste you, Stephanie. I've dreamed of this for longer than you know."

I felt a familiar warmth on my cheeks, but my need for Carlos was greater than my embarrassment. I spread my legs even wider, giving him more room, and closed my eyes with a soft cry as I felt his tongue glide smoothly up my folds, ending with a circle around my already throbbing clit.

Carlos used his magic tongue and fingers to drive me higher and higher, and when he scraped his teeth lightly over me, my entire body stiffened as I flew over the edge, my orgasm screaming through me. Before I could come completely down, Carlos moved up and settled himself above me. He gazed down into my eyes as he slowly thrust into me, inch by steely hard inch.

When he was fully inside me, he paused, and we both hissed out a breath of air, enjoying the sensations. It had been too long since our one night together, but our bodies still fit together as if they remembered just how perfect that night was. At last, Carlos began to move inside me, slowly withdrawing, then sliding back in to the hilt, only to start all over again.

I could barely think. All I could do was feel. The sensation of his slick skin sliding against mine, the coarse hairs on his legs, the long hair on his head cascading down around me. Then I noticed his arms shaking as he held himself up, and my heart clenched.

I leaned up and kissed him softly, then gently pushed at his shoulder. "Lay back, Carlos. Let me," I whispered.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. I felt him withdraw from me, then he carefully maneuvered himself so he was on his back. I quickly moved over him, and he helped guide me as I lowered myself onto his still achingly hard cock.

We groaned softly as I began to move. From this position, Carlos was able to use his hands to tweak and tease my nipples, which only served to drive me crazier with need. I whimpered as he moved one hand between us to brush one finger over my clit, which caused my inner muscles to clench tightly around him. He answered my whimper with a loud growl of his own, and his fingers began lightly pinching my bundle of nerves, even scraping his fingernail across it once.

"C-c-carlos," I cried softly, feeling my orgasm rising up quickly again.

"Let go, Babe," he whispered, brushing his fingers over me again. As he tweaked my nipple one last time, he commanded softly, "Come for me, Stephanie. Let me see you come."

His words, combined with the feeling of his fingers on my body, brought me to the edge and flung me over into the abyss. I cried out his name as I came, and I vaguely registered his cry of, "Fuck, Stephanie!" as I felt the warmth of his own orgasm inside me.

As soon as we both could move, Carlos helped me slide off to his side. I curled up beside him as he pulled the sheet up, covering us. My eyes were drifting closed as I heard him whisper, "Sleep, Babe. Te amo, Stephanie."

I closed my eyes and slept.

**TBC...**

**Many, many, many thanks to Jenny for the fabulous smut scene above. You completely surpassed my vision on it and I can't thank you enough.**

**Thanks to Connie too for all her hard work and time. **


	42. Chapter 42

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**PREVIOUSLY:  
**__He closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. I felt him withdraw from me, then he carefully maneuvered himself so he was on his back. I quickly moved over him, and he helped guide me as I lowered myself onto his still achingly hard cock._

_We groaned softly as I began to move. From this position, Carlos was able to use his hands to tweak and tease my nipples, which only served to drive me more crazy with need. I whimpered as he moved one hand between us to brush one finger over my clit, which caused my inner muscles to clench tightly around him. He answered my whimper with a loud growl of his own, and his fingers began lightly pinching my bundle of nerves, even scraping his fingernail across it once._

"_C-c-carlos," I cried softly, feeling my orgasm rising up quickly again._

"_Let go, Babe," he whispered, brushing his fingers over me again. As he tweaked my nipple one last time, he commanded softly, "Come for me, Stephanie. Let me see you come."_

_His words, combined with the feeling of his fingers on my body, brought me to the edge and flung me over into the abyss. I cried out his name as I came, and I vaguely registered his cry of, "Fuck, Stephanie!" as I felt the warmth of his own orgasm inside me._

_As soon as we both could move, Carlos helped me slide off to his side. I curled up beside him as he he pulled the sheet up, covering us. My eyes were drifting closed as I heard him whisper, "Sleep, Babe. Te amo, Stephanie."_

_I closed my eyes and slept._

**CHAPTER 42**

**RPOV**

I got up the next morning when Steph got out of bed to go down to the gym. As I watched her walk out the door, I was struck with irony of the situation. Stephanie was going to the gym, while I waited in the apartment for her to come back. I couldn't wait until I got out of these stupid casts. Fortunately, I had a doctor's appointment today; I should end up losing one completely, and the other should be changed to a walking cast, so at least I would finally be out of this annoying wheelchair.

It hit me then that we had never gotten around to talking about the stupid stalker problem. We had a funeral to attend today, and I wasn't sure how I was going to make sure something didn't happen. I knew there was no way either Steph or I would miss it, so I needed to make sure we had ample security. Also, I had to arrange it so the men that wanted to be there could be.

I knew that only Junior had been really close with Duane, since they'd been in the same unit as Marines. He had only been here for a few months. Most of the guys would be fine being part of a security detail, as long as they got the opportunity to pay their respects. I thought a little bit longer about the problem before I finally sucked it up and called Tank, so we could come up with some sort of plan before I left for the doctor.

"Yo!"

"Can you come up to the apartment? I need to speak to you about the funeral."

"Be there in twenty. Just left the gym."

There was no need for a reply, so we both hung up. I laughed at myself when I realized I was worried whether or not he was still upset with me. When had I reverted back to high school? I was glad that my friends looked out for Stephanie the way they did. She needed people like that in her life. I can't deny it stung a little, but I'd deserved it, because I'd been in the wrong.

I had just finished getting ready when Tank came into the apartment.

"So... you gettin rid of your wheels today?"

I smiled. "That's the plan. I might be on crutches or using a cane, but anything's better than this."

He just nodded. "You think the stalker's going to make an appearance today?".

"It seems like every time we go out in public together, that's when he acts, so it's a definite possibility. I want to be proactive and try to draw him out, but I'm not physically capable of keeping us both safe. I know Steph is more than capable of handling herself now, but not with my gimp ass in tow." I shook my head, frustrated.

"I know, man. We'll come up with something, but let's just worry about today. I had all the guys that were willing to work security at the funeral sign up, and it's basically the entire office. We'll have every angle covered."

"I was thinking that maybe Steph and I shouldn't go together," I told him honestly.

He looked at me surprised. "Are you going to tell Steph she can't go?" I could feel the anger start to roll off him.

"No, of course not. I screwed up enough yesterday to last me for a while. I know she needs to be there as much as I do. I meant that maybe we should go in separate vehicles, at separate times."

He instantly relaxed. I hated having to explain myself, but I wasn't in the mood for another verbal beat down. Damn, when had I become such a fuckin pussy? I mentally shook my head and got down to business.

We spent the next hour going over the details, until Steph came back upstairs. She was glistening with sweat, and looked sexy as hell. I wanted nothing more than to go take a shower with her and lick her from head to toe.

Evidently, my Babe had picked up some ESP. I was stunned when she looked at me with a wolf grin firmly in place and said, "Soon, Batman," before winking at me and heading to the shower.

I was so busy enjoying watching her walk away; it didn't register to me that Tank had been watching the entire exchange, until I heard a booming laugh coming from him.

"Damn, Ric, she's got your number. She can even see past the blank face these days. That's pretty impressive."

I really wanted to roll my eyes at him, but bad asses don't roll their eyes. Plus, I liked the fact that she could read me so well.

I was brought from my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door. "That's Ella. Could you please let her in? I asked her to bring something up for you, too."

I saw him grinning as he headed for the door. He could almost give my Babe a run for her money when it came to enjoying food. Almost, but not quite. We waited for Steph to get ready before we sat down to eat. As soon as she came out of the bedroom, she made a beeline for the table.

"Mmmmm, I'm _starving._ I spent the morning getting my ass handed to me by Bobby and Lester and worked up a _huge _appetite."

I didn't bother to point out that she always had a _huge _appetite. I thought that might seem a little insensitive. We all dug in, and by the end of breakfast, my pants were so snug, I was afraid I might end up embarrassing myself. I noticed the look on Tank's face, and knew he was having the same problem. Tank normally saw Steph as a little sister, but the noises she made when she ate would drive any sane man crazy, so I just let it go.

I heard Steph clear her throat. "So what are we doing today? I know you need to go to the doctor, and then we have the funeral. Do you want me to go to the doctor with you?" she asked, smiling.

I knew I had to word my answer carefully. I didn't want her to think I didn't want her with me, because I did. Actually, it was starting to get a tad ridiculous how unhappy I would get if she wasn't in the room with me.

"I would love for you to go with me, but I don't think we should go out together right now." I saw her brow furrow, and hurried on. "Hear me out before you get upset. It seems like every time we go out together, the stalker does something, and I don't want anything to happen today that will keep us from focusing on the funeral. We both need to be there. At first, I thought we might even consider going separately to the funeral; the more I think about it, it probably won't make a difference, since we'll both be there anyway." Plus, I remembered how she'd reacted at Mama Macaroni's funeral. There was no way I wasn't going to be there for her when it was someone she actually cared about.

I watched her work my reasons over in her head, and was relieved when she gave me a half smile. "You're right. I don't want to worry about anything else today. The funeral will be hard enough. Will you promise to take more than one guy with you to the doctor? You still aren't able to watch your own back very well."

I knew it would make her feel better, and I didn't really mind, so I agreed without hesitation.

"Okay, well, while you're at the doctor, I'm going to go down to my office and get some work done. I have a client meeting tomorrow, and I need to finish up the proposal," she told me as she grabbed her full utility belt and put it on. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, then she and Tank went to the elevator.

What did it say about me that seeing her all decked out like a bad ass made me as horny as her moaning over her food? Who the hell was I kidding; I'd been walking around with a hard on for that woman since she called me to uncuff her from the shower rod. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I had no idea what was going on with me lately. I couldn't seem to focus on anything except her. It was a good thing I was getting rid of one of these casts today, because they were way too restricting when it came to the things we could do. With my back still extremely tender, we hadn't been able to enjoy ourselves properly since I got back.

Shaking my head, I went back into our dressing room to get my guns from the safe before going to the doctor.

**SPOV**

I walked into the apartment after spending my morning workout being tossed around the mats by Bobby and Lester, to find Tank and Carlos looking over some plans. When Carlos looked up at me, I watched as his eyes went dark. I knew exactly what he was thinking, because I wanted the same thing. Carlos was really good in the shower, and boy, what I wouldn't give to get a private showing this morning!

I smiled at him, trying to keep my hormones in check. "Soon, Batman," I told him before I went to take a shower; alone, unfortunately.

I got dressed in my normal work clothes, and did my hair and makeup as fast as I could. I knew by the smell that Ella had already delivered breakfast, and I was famished. As soon as I was ready, I went out to sit at the table.

"Mmmmm, I'm _starving. _I spent the morning getting my ass handed to me by Bobby and Lester, and worked up a _huge _appetite."

Ella had made me some delicious Belgium waffles, and I was enjoying every minute of eating them. When I finished eating, I looked at the guys and noticed they both had pained expressions on their faces. Sheesh, you'd think by now they'd be used to it. I've found the best thing to do is just ignore them and change the subject.

I cleared my throat. "So what are we doing today? I know you need to go to the doctor, and then we have the funeral. Do you want me to go to the doctor with you?" I was extremely excited about Carlos getting rid of one of the casts, because I was starting to become increasingly frustrated. With his back still bothering him and a cast on each leg, it was incredibly difficult to enjoy each other properly.

I watched a strange look fly across Carlos' face before he answered. "I would love for you to go with me, but I don't think we should go out together right now."

I was surprised and more than a little hurt.

"Hear me out before you get upset." I was quiet while he explained.

I thought about his reasonings for a few seconds, and realized that he was completely right. Ugh, being a rational adult is entirely too boring.

Nodding my agreement, I said, "Okay, well, while you're at the doctor, I'm going to go down to my office and get some work done. I have a client meeting tomorrow, and I need to finish up the proposal." I grabbed my utility belt, gave him a quick kiss, and headed to the elevator with Tank.

"So, did you two work everything out yesterday?" Tank asked as the doors shut.

I was kind of surprised, because the guys really didn't talk to me about my relationship with Ranger. I was pretty sure they didn't talk to him much about it, either. His ESP was working well this morning, so he explained himself a little further.

"I'm not trying to get in your business. I just want to make sure he's treating you right. He's my best friend, but sometimes, he needs his ass kicked before he can admit he's wrong."

I smiled at that. "So does that mean you guys kicked his ass last night?"

"Not physically, but definitely verbally."

I was surprised to realize exactly how much it meant to me that these guys would stand up for me.

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, big guy, that means a lot," I told him as the elevator doors opened on five.

"No problem, Bomber. _You're_ my friend, too, and you deserve to be treated right. But fair warning... I'm not afraid to give you a verbal beat down, too, if you treat my boy wrong," he told me with a wink before he went to his office.

I smiled at his declaration. I was okay with that; Carlos needed friends like that.

I walked into my office and got down to the task at hand. Before I knew it, it was time for me to get ready for the funeral, so I grabbed my things and went upstairs.

**TBC...**

**As always thank you to Connie & Jenny for all of their hard work and help on my story. **


	43. Chapter 43

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

WARNING: There is some information about an adoption in this chapter, and I don't know much about it, other than what I found online, so please forgive me if I'm wrong.

_**PREVIOUSLY:**_

_"So, did you two work everything out yesterday?" Tank asked as the doors shut._

_I was kind of surprised, because the guys really didn't talk to me about my relationship with Ranger. I was pretty sure they didn't talk to him much about it, either. His ESP was working well this morning, so he explained himself a little further._

_"I'm not trying to get in your business. I just want to make sure he's treating you right. He's my best friend, but sometimes, he needs his ass kicked before he can admit he's wrong."_

_I smiled at that. "So does that mean you guys kicked his ass last night?"_

_"Not physically, but definitely verbally."_

_I was surprised to realize exactly how much it meant to me that these guys would stand up for me._

_I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, big guy, that means a lot," I told him as the elevator doors opened on five._

_"No problem, Bomber. You're my friend, too, and you deserve to be treated right. But fair warning... I'm not afraid to give you a verbal beat down, too, if you treat my boy wrong," he told me with a wink before he went to his office._

_I smiled at his declaration. I was okay with that; Carlos needed friends like that._

_I walked into my office and got down to the task at hand. Before I knew it, it was time for me to get ready for the funeral, so I grabbed my things and went upstairs._

**CHAPTER 43**

**SPOV**

I heard the door open just as I came out of the dressing room. I walked out to meet my man, and starting smiling as soon as I saw him. One cast was completely gone, and the other was now a walking cast. I was surprised he was using a cane, but before I had a chance to question him, he offered an explanation.

"The doctor wanted me to do rehab before I put my full weight on my leg, but after today, I shouldn't need any help. I was a little wobbly when I tried to walk at the doctor's office, so he suggested the cane just for today." He glared at it with obvious disdain.

I smiled and leaned up to whisper in his ear. "I'll show you how happy I am you're out of that wheelchair when we get home tonight." I kissed his cheek before backing away, and noticed his eyes had gone pitch black in one second flat. Guess I wasn't the only one suffering from the lack of sex. Good to know. Granted we'd made love last night but we still had a lot of catching up to do.

"Now go get ready. We need to leave in forty-five minutes. Do you need any help?"

He glared at me for a second, and then his eyes softened. "No, I think I can manage now. Thanks for taking such good care of me." He kissed my forehead before going into the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later, I heard him yell for me.

"Steph, will you bring me a pair of scissors, please?"

I went to grab them, wondering what he was up to. I walked into the bedroom and found him sitting on the bed, dressed, with only one pant leg on. I handed him the scissors, thoroughly confused.

He took the scissors and started to cut up the seam of his pant leg.

"_Are you insane?_ That's Louis Vuitton!" I gaped at him.

He looked at me like I'd grown a third head. "I'll get new ones." He shrugged as he pulled the now ruined pant leg over his walking cast.

"That is like a crime against nature. The fashion gods are likely to smite you down for that." I was appalled. I couldn't believe he'd just ruined a $3,000 suit without blinking an eye. It was times like this that I wondered if everyone was right and this man really was crazy. Don't get me wrong, though; crazy or not, he's still mine.

I watched as he finished getting ready. I could tell he was enjoying his new mobility, and I was happy for him. He was ready with fifteen minutes to spare, and he motioned for me to follow him to the living room. I sat down beside him and leaned into him, trying to soak up some of his strength. Today was going to be hard enough. Adding in the threat of another incident with the stalker had me feeling more than a little stressed out.

"I have a meeting scheduled at 1700 tonight with Jeanne Ellen, to speak about the case she wants help with."

I felt myself tense, waiting to see how he planned to handle this.

"Bobby, Lester, and Tank will be there, and I want you there as well. I plan to tell her that she can either work with the entire core team, or we won't take the case. Is that okay with you?" he asked, seeming unsure.

I felt my heart squeeze when I realized how much he was trying to make sure he included me and not repeat past mistakes. I leaned over and kissed his lips softly. "That's perfect," I told him as I backed away and looked at him.

"Do you want to tell me what you think is up with her?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know. I just have a strange feeling about her." I explained.

I got a barely there nod before he stood up and held out his hand to me. I took it, really feeling like I was ready to face whatever came our way, simply because we were together. Even if he had no fashion conscience! We made our way to the garage, where most of the guys were already waiting for us to go to the funeral.

The funeral went off without any disruptions. The stalker didn't show up, and I cried my eyes out. I don't know why I always get emotional like this at funerals, considering I'm basically emotionally retarded in all the other areas of my life. It's actually kind of embarrassing. Fortunately, it didn't seem to bother Carlos at all. He held me and comforted me like only he could, and before I knew it, we were back in the truck and headed towards the office.

We finally got back to the office at 4:30. I climbed on the elevator with Carlos, and we went upstairs to change and so I could clean myself up. We were both quiet, seemingly lost in our own worlds, but we changed quickly and headed back down to five.

I was actually looking forward to this meeting. I wanted to see Jeanne Ellen's reaction when Carlos told her I had to be involved. I knew it was petty, but I loved sticking it to Catwoman. I mean, I was only human, right?

We were all seated around the conference table when Binkie came in to tell us Jeanne Ellen was downstairs.

"Bring her up," Ranger replied.

I was sitting beside him, and he reached over and entwined our fingers. I looked over and saw he was smiling at me softly. He was breathtakingly handsome, and he was mine. We were lost in each other's eyes until Tank cleared his throat. Ranger gave me quick wink, and looked at the door as Jeanne Ellen walked in.

I noticed her body tense and her eyes narrow when she saw me sitting there. I smiled at her sweetly. Well, I was aiming for sweetly, but it might have been a little more smug than sweet, depending on your perspective.

"Ranger, I already explained that I would rather Stephanie not be involved and why." She focused a cold stare on Carlos.

"I am aware of that, Jeanne Ellen, but if you want RangeMan's help on this case, Stephanie will be involved. I don't keep anything about RangeMan from any of the core team, and that includes Stephanie. If you are still against having her involved, then we will have to turn down the case," he told her matter-of-factly.

I had noticed her eyes widen when he told her I was a member of the core team, and she seemed annoyed.

"Fine," she replied with a shrug before sitting down.

That seemed a little too easy. If it was so important to her that I not be involved, then why would she give up so easily? If it wasn't all that important, then what was the point in bringing it up to begin with? My Spidey sense was tingling again, and I made a mental note to do some research into Catwoman. Something about her just wasn't sitting right with me, and it wasn't just the fact that she was the female version of Ranger.

She slid the folder she had brought with her across the table to Carlos. He opened it up and began to look through it. I noticed he stilled for a second. If you didn't know what to look for, you probably wouldn't have noticed, but since I had what is commonly referred to as OCCD aka Obsessive Compulsive Carlos Disorder, I picked up on it. He finished looking through the folder, and then handed it off to me.

"Okay, so tell us about the case," he told Jeanne Ellen.

"The girl's name is Sophia Maria Mendoza. She's ten-years-old, and was adopted at birth in a closed adoption."

I opened the file and saw what had caused Carlos to still. The girl looked remarkably like Julie. She was a beautiful little girl, and she was wearing a Wonder Woman t-shirt. She was a girl after my own heart. I turned my attention back to Jeanne Ellen.

"Her parents live in Argentina. They moved there from New York two years ago. Ten days ago, she left for school, but never made it there. Her family is very wealthy, and kidnapping was suspected immediately, but after a few days went by and no demands were made, the police officials started to look at different possibilities.

"They brought in a friend of mine that has worked closely with the authorities in Argentina before, and asked for his help. His investigation has lead him to believe that her birth mother may have kidnapped her. He contacted me yesterday and asked if I could look into her adoption, because it occurred in the state of New Jersey," she explained as we all looked through the folder she had brought with her. There wasn't very much in it to help us get started.

"Okay, so why does your friend think it was her birth mother, and why did you feel the need to keep Steph out of it?" Lester asked.

"The parents mentioned that a woman claiming to be her birth mother contacted them last month, asking to meet with them. They only got a first name. Isabella. They told her they didn't want Sophia to meet her yet, but if she wanted to leave her information, they would give Sophia the opportunity to decide once she turned eighteen. The woman just hung up, and they didn't hear from her again. My friend is still following up other leads, but he wanted me to start on this as soon as I could. The adoption papers were sealed by a judge that works in Trenton, but at the time of the adoption, he was a small time family judge in Chambersburg, New Jersey." Her eyes focused on me.

It took everything I had not to roll my eyes at the woman, but I wanted to stay professional. Did she really think I would help someone kidnap a child, just because they might be from the 'Burg?

Lester didn't seem to be as worried about professionalism as he rolled his eyes at her. "So what, you thought Steph would hide someone that would kidnap a child, just because they came from the 'Burg? That's just absurd," he snorted.

I turned to smile at Lester for saying what I was thinking, but the look on Carlos' face caught my eye. His gaze was focused completely on Jeanne Ellen, and he looked pissed. I guess insulting me was like insulting him.

"Is that the reason?" Carlos demanded.

She met his gaze, and I watched her waiver for a second before her back straightened. Hmmm, maybe Catwoman was suicidal. One could hope.

"I don't have the history with her that you do, so I have absolutely no reason to trust her. I don't have the research abilities that your company has, so I guess I don't have any choice but to take your word," she explained.

I could tell his gaze was getting to her, but she didn't back down. I wasn't sure if it was balls or insanity, but whatever it was worked for her.

"I have complete faith and trust in Stephanie, and I assure you that you have nothing to worry about," he told her, his voice leaving no room for arguments.

I started doing a Snoopy dance in my head. His confidence in me was amazing, and I never tired of hearing him voice it.

"I guess I'll just have to take your word for it then," Jeanne Ellen replied, and the subject was dropped.

We spent the next hour and a half deciding how to proceed. Most of the initial work would be on my plate. I still ran the most important searches, and I had more contacts in the 'Burg than all the guys at RangeMan combined.

As soon as we were done, Ranger pulled me to the elevator. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me while we rode up to seven. As we stepped off of the elevator and walked into the apartment, I felt the remaining stress of the day start to drain from my body. This place always calmed me and made me feel safe, just like the man that owned it.

"Why don't you go get comfortable, and I'll call Ella for dinner," he said, pulling me in for one more kiss.

I smiled at him and nodded. I was wiped out and ready to relax. I took a quick shower and put on some pj's. Carlos took a shower while I went out to wait for Ella. About twenty minutes later, she was in the apartment, dropping off dinner, when Carlos walked out wearing nothing but a pair of Army sweats that hung low on his hips. Before I could stop myself, I licked my lips.

"See something you like, Babe?" he smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "As if you don't know the answer to that already?"

He gave me a genuine smile. "Don't worry, Babe. The feeling is totally mutual," he said as he helped me put the dinner plates on the breakfast bar.

We ate in silence, but the longer we sat there, the more my body started to vibrate with desire. I looked at Carlos, and he returned my gaze with an almost predatory one of his own. I felt a bolt of lust fly through me, ending with wetness pooling between my legs.

I bit my lip, trying to reign in my hormones, but that act just seemed to spur Carlos into action. Before I knew it, he was standing between my legs, covering my lips with his. The kiss was rough, passionate, with something primal mixed in, and it broke the little bit of control I had. I quickly began meeting his demands equally. I pulled out the tie holding his hair, and ran my hands through his silky locks before pulling him closer. We broke away from the kiss, gasping for air. I stood up and nudged him towards the bedroom.

A few hours later I slowly started coming back down to earth, I found myself still laying on top of Carlos. He had his arms wrapped around me, and was drawing small circles on my back. I gave a contented sigh before moving to lay down beside him.

He turned to look at me while running his finger softly down my jaw. "I love you, Babe."

I smiled. "I love you, too, Batman."

He shook his head at the nickname.

"Actually, after that performance, maybe I should go with Superman," I giggled.

He actually laughed at that, pulling me back against him. We fell asleep wrapped around each other, completely sated and content.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Bunches Connie & Jenny! You're both the greatest. **


	44. Chapter 44

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all character's are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_  
_As I slowly started coming back down to earth, I found myself still laying on top of Carlos. He had his arms wrapped around me, and was drawing small circles on my back. I gave a contented sigh before moving to lay down beside him._

_He turned to look at me while running his finger softly down my jaw. "I love you, Babe."_

_I smiled. "I love you, too, Batman."_

_He shook his head at the nickname._

_"Actually, after that performance, maybe I should go with Superman," I giggled._

_He actually laughed at that, pulling me back against him. We fell asleep wrapped around each other, completely sated and content._

**Chapter 44**

**SPOV**

The rest of the week seemed to fly by. I wasn't making any progress on the Mendoza case. Every lead that Jeanne Ellen gave us seemed to be a dead end. I couldn't even locate information about the adoption, because the building holding all the adoption paperwork had burnt down nine years ago. I was frustrated and exhausted, so I decided that I would give myself the weekend, and then tackle the case again first thing Monday morning with fresh eyes.

Before I knew it, it was Saturday, and time to go to Carlos' father's birthday party. I was torn between being terrified they would hate me, and thinking that I wouldn't be able to forgive them for how they treated Carlos. I was afraid I would end up embarrassing him by letting my feelings be known. I promised myself that I would do everything I could to keep my mouth in check.

I had just gotten out of the shower when Carlos came back from his physical therapy session. He seemed to be glowing; he was so happy to be back to exercising.

Sometimes, I think there is something wrong with that man. I mean, yeah, I workout these days, but the only time I smile about it is if I happen to kick one of the Merry Men's asses. Other than that, it's kind of a necessary evil in my world. Obviously, Carlos did not share my disdain for exercise.

"Hey, Babe!" he said as he walked over to me, ready to wrap his arms around me and get me all icky with his sweat.

"Uh uh, no, don't even think about it, Carlos! I've already showered, and I need to get ready. I do not want your sweaty body all over me unless we're in bed," I told him.

This got me a wolf grin.

"That can be arranged," he told me as he stalked closer.

"Not right now, it can't. We don't have time, and I refuse to be late the first time I meet your family. The fact that I'm not Cuban is going to be a hard enough obstacle to overcome," I said firmly.

All humor left his face, and he reached forward to cup my cheek. "Stephanie, I don't care what my family thinks. You are 'the one' for me, and if they can't accept that, I really don't care. Celia and my father will love you because I do, and the rest of them can kiss my ass as far as I'm concerned. I love you with all my heart, Babe. Don't forget that. If you're really worried about it, we can skip the party, and I can just have Celia and my Dad meet us for dinner sometime."

I shook my head. "No, you can't miss your father's party, and I want to be there with you. I'll be fine, Carlos. I'm used to having mothers and sisters hate me. My own do, so yours can just be added to the list," I assured him, smiling. I was trying to lighten the mood.

He didn't seem to find it funny. "If my family acts like your mother and sister, we're leaving, and we won't be back," he said shortly.

"Carlos, I was just making a joke. I didn't mean to upset you," I tried to explain.

He sighed and smiled. "I know. You didn't. I just want to be sure you know that you are the most important person in my life. No one else even comes close." He kissed my forehead and walked into the bathroom to shower.

I went to the dressing room to finish getting ready. A few minutes later, Carlos came in and grabbed some clothes. He paused for a second, watching me. I felt his eyes travel up and down my body. Since I was still fully clothed, it seemed that Batman couldn't cause clothes to disappear with just a look, at least not yet, but I'm still holding out hope.

We both finished getting ready, then headed to Newark. I hoped this went better than I expected it to.

We pulled up to a two-story brownstone, which was absolutely beautiful. I took a deep breath as Carlos walked around the car to open my door. I took his hand, and he helped me out of the car. I started to walk towards the steps, but was stopped when Carlos turned me around to face him.

"I love you. My mother's and sisters' beliefs are not mine, and if they make you even a little uncomfortable, tell me, and we'll leave. Okay?"

I smiled. I knew what I was getting into, and I wouldn't let his mother ruin anything. Today was about his dad, and I was looking forward to meeting him. "No worries, Batman!" I leaned forward, brushing a kiss across his lips before turning to the house and tugging him along. If I didn't know better, I'd think Carlos was stalling, but he would never do that, I thought with a chuckle.

"What?" he questioned, but before I could respond, the door opened, and I saw a beautiful, older lady, clearly Carlos' mother, standing in front of us. "Carlos, so good of you to come. You didn't mention that you were bringing company." Her eyes raked over me, obviously disapproving. "Why did you bring your assistant with you?"

I suppressed the urge to laugh and or roll my eyes. Wow, if this was all this lady had to throw at me, I didn't have anything to worry about. I was raised by one of the pettiest woman to ever live in the 'Burg, and so far, Carlos' mother didn't even come close.

"She's _not_ my assistant, mother. She's my girlfriend," he hissed. "Stephanie, this is my mother, Mariela. Mother, this is Stephanie."

I held out my hand. She looked me over again and scowled. "I see," she replied, before turning around and heading back into the house without giving me or her son a second thought. I heard Carlos' teeth grinding as he took my hand and led me into the house.

We walked into what I assumed was the living room. The house was very traditional, and everywhere I looked, I saw signs of Carlos' Cuban heritage. I was actually fascinated with everything, because I knew so little about his culture. Before I had a chance to ask Carlos about any of it, a woman about my age, and obviously very pregnant, came over to us, with a very beautiful woman following close behind her. I felt Carlos tense, and guessed that this wasn't Celia, but one of his other sisters, because it was obvious that they were closely related.

"Carlos, I'm so glad you made it. This is my friend, Alicia. Her father is from the same town Mama grew up in back in Cuba. I thought she would make the perfect wife for you."

I about choked on my own tongue. Seriously, I'm holding his hand, and she introduces her friend as a potential wife. What the fuck is that about? Alicia was looking at Carlos, barely containing the drool and batting her eyelashes at him. He seemed to find her unappealing, because he actually took a step back from her, pulling me with him.

"Lucia, let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Stephanie," he ground out. "Stephanie, this is Lucia, my sister, and obviously, her friend, Alicia," he added sarcastically.

I was glad Carlos had warned me about his mom and his sisters so that I was prepared. I was actually finding it kind of funny, and I realized I didn't really care what his mother or three sisters thought. Their treatment of Carlos when he was a child was more than enough for me to hate them, so their opinion of me really didn't matter at all.

"But Carlos, she's not Cuban. It is your duty as a successful businessman and member of the Cuban community to marry someone with Cuban heritage," she all but whined. It seemed that she actually believed all of the nonsense she was spewing.

Before I could say anything, Carlos snorted and then rolled his eyes at her. I about fell over in shock. I guess Batman has been spending a little too much time with me, if he's picking up my habits.

"Oh please, you haven't given a crap about what I've done for years. If that ridiculous story in the paper a few months ago hadn't clued you in to how well I'm doing for myself, you still wouldn't care," he told her.

I was a little surprised to see that Carlos didn't seem angry. Instead, he seemed resigned and annoyed. I could understand that, seeing as I've been resigned and annoyed with my mother and sister for as long as I could remember. I also made a mental note to find out what article he was talking about, because somehow, I had missed it.

He continued, "What? Since I have money, I'm suddenly worthy enough to be your brother? After years of seeing me as nothing but an embarrassment, _now_ you suddenly want to hook me up with your friends. How about we just keep things the way they've always been? You pretend I don't exist, and I go on with my life. And just so we're clear, in case everything I just said to you doesn't sink in, the only woman I will ever marry is Stephanie." There was a finality to his words that ended the conversation.

I realized that Alicia and I were making the same fish face, but for two totally different reasons. He would marry me? I was lost in thought, and didn't even realize that Carlos had pulled me though to a different room until I was facing an incredibly handsome older man, who I guessed was Carlos' father. As soon as he saw Carlos, his face lit up.

"Carlos, you made it. I'm so glad to see you, hijo," he said as he wrapped Carlos in a hug, which Carlos surprisingly returned.

I noticed he was smiling as much as his father was, and I felt my heart melt. I was so happy that Carlos had this man on his side.

"Quién es la hermosa mujer que usted ha traído con usted?" (Who is the beautiful woman you have brought with you?)

"Esto es Stephanie, la mujer que he dicho usted tanto acerca de durante los últimos años." (This is Stephanie, the woman I have told you so much about over the past few years.)

"Ah sí. La mujer que tiene el corazón," he said with a mischievous grin. (Ah yes. The woman who holds your heart.)

I wasn't sure what was being said, but I was pretty sure it was about me, and the last comment actually seemed to make Carlos blush. I was dying to know what his father had said.

"Sí, Papá. La mujer que me robó el corazón." (Yes, Dad. The woman who stole my heart.)

Carlos was smiling his 1000-watt smile, and I was feeling left out, so I cleared my throat. Carlos turned, flashing his full wattage smile at me as he reached out to pull me closer. I heard a loud crash, and turned to find Alicia laying on the floor behind me, covered in what I was guessing was a tray of drinks. Carlos' smile seemed to have collected another victim. I was proud that I kept my laugh to myself before turning back to Carlos and his father. He was completely ignoring the scene behind me.

"Sorry about the Spanish, Babe. It's habit. Steph, this is my father, Ernesto. Papá, this is my Babe, Stephanie."

I held out my hand to him. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Manoso."

He took my hand and pulled me into a hug. "Please call me Ernesto. It's nice to finally meet you. I have heard so much about you."

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "The funeral home wasn't my fault."

He chuckled at my response. "Actually, I knew that. I believe it was your Grandmother that shot the ammo, was it not?" he asked kindly.

My eyes widened, and I immediately felt myself blush. I started to worry exactly what Carlos had told his father.

"He has only told me good things, hermosa," he smiled. (beautiful one) "I am glad to see he has finally taken my advice and followed his heart. I have been telling him for years he was in love with you, but he is a stubborn one. I'm glad you didn't give up on him while he was getting his head out of his ass," he said, laughing.

Evidently, he had a form of ESP, too. Wonder where _I_ could get that? I heard Carlos growl, and I couldn't keep my laughter at bay. "I'm glad he didn't give up on me while I was trying to get my head out of my ass, too," I agreed.

He nodded. "Ah, so you are both very stubborn individuals. That should make the next sixty years very interesting," Ernesto told me as he put an arm around my shoulder and started guiding me to another room.

As soon as we walked into the room, I heard a woman's excited voice. "Carlos, you're here!" I guessed this was Celia, because she looked sincerely happy to see him and engulfed him in a hug. When she noticed me standing with Ernesto, her eyes lit up.

"You must be Stephanie. I've wanted to meet you for years. I'm so glad you're here," she told me before wrapping me into a hug. Wow, I was getting a lot more hugs than I was used to, but I figured this would be the last, considering how the rest of his family felt.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Celia, Carlos' little sister." She gave him a wink at the word little. He just smiled at her affectionately.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I told her.

"Carlos, why don't you and Papá get us something to drink? I believe that little twit Lucia thought she could set you up with spilled most of them. Don't worry; I'll keep Stephanie company while you're gone." She shooed him away. I never thought I'd see the day that Carlos would let anyone shoo him. It was great.

Celia turned to face me as soon as Carlos stepped away. "I'm so glad my brother has finally come to his senses about you. Papá and I have been telling him for years that you're 'the one.' But he kept telling us stupid things like... my life doesn't lend itself to relationships." She finished this statement off with a 'Burg-worthy eye roll.

I snorted. "You know, he actually told me the same thing."

Her eyes went wide. "No he didn't! That idiot. No wonder it's taken you two so long to get together. I can't believe you're actually still speaking to him, if he was telling you stupid things like that."

"It wasn't all his fault. I was in an on-again/off-again relationship for years. I was comfortable with the guy, but I was never really in love with him. It took me a long time to admit my feelings for Carlos. I'd say we're both equally at fault for the amount of time we wasted before coming to our senses."

She smiled. "Well, you two should definitely appreciate what you have now, since it took so long to get here," she said, patting my hand.

"I definitely feel blessed," I admitted.

She looked at me for a few seconds, like she was trying to decide something. "I don't know how much Carlos has told you about our childhood..."

"He gave me a rough overview. I know how bad it was, if that's what you're wondering."

She relaxed a little. "I'll never understand why my mother and sisters never saw what he did for us and how hard it was for him. I know that's why he holds everyone at arm's length. Not because of our _father, _but because he felt betrayed by the rest of his family," she explained. It was obvious that she loved Carlos and felt his pain.

"I don't know how you did it, but I'm glad you found your way into his life. I knew you were someone special when he started telling Papá and me stories about your adventures."

I snorted. _Yeah, adventures. More like misadventures?_ I thought.

"After a while, I noticed he seemed happier, and he was actually smiling when he talked about you. I hadn't seen that smile since we were kids, and I knew the woman that brought that smile back would be perfect for him." She smiled happily.

I felt Carlos come up behind me, and put his hand on the back of my neck. "So who's giving who the third degree?" His eyes danced mischievously. It was a look that was mirrored in his father's eyes.

I rolled my eyes, and Celia walked over and smacked him upside his head.

"Ouch! What the hell was that for?" he asked while rubbing his head.

"You actually told her your life doesn't lend itself to relationships? What is wrong with you?"

Before he could reply, his father reached over and smacked him upside his head, as well. "Cuál es incorrecto con usted, muchacho? Le enseñé mejor que eso. Usted es afortunado ella perdonó su asno mudo," he father told Carlos, shaking his head. (What is wrong with you, boy? I taught you better than that. You are lucky she forgave your dumb ass.)

"Si, Papá. Era un idiota," Carlos replied as he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my cheek. (Yes, Dad. I was an idiot.) 

We spent the rest of the day talking to his father and sister and various relatives. Carlos seemed to be trying to avoid his mother and sisters, which I didn't mind at all. I was enjoying myself, and it looked like Carlos was, too. It was just getting dark out when Carlos found me out on the porch talking to Celia.

"Babe."

I looked up to find two very warm chocolate eyes shining brightly at me.

"Carlos!" I smiled.

He chuckled. "You ready to head home?" he asked, holding out his hand to me.

"Whenever you are," I replied, taking his hand and standing up.

"Let's go say goodbye to Papá, and then we'll take off."

"Okay." I turned to Celia, who was already standing up beside me. "It was very nice to meet you, Celia."

"Oh, same here! We are definitely going to have to get together and go shopping sometime soon," she told me as we walked back inside to find Ernesto.

"I'm always game for a little shopping. Just tell me when and where, and I'll be there with bells on," I promised her, noticing Carlos shaking his head.

"What?" I demanded.

"Tell me when and where, too, so I can be sure to be as far away as possible. With the two of you together, it's hard to tell what will happen."

We both rolled our eyes at the same time. "Christ, now I've got 'Burg girl in stereo," Carlos muttered as we walked up to his father, who was standing in the living room with his mother and one of his sisters I hadn't met yet.

"Papá, Stephanie and I are heading home."

"Well thank you both for coming. It was wonderful meeting you, Stephanie." Ernesto gave me a quick hug. "I hope to see more of you now that you and Carlos have come to your senses."

I felt myself blush. "Thank you so much for having me. I had a wonderful time," I replied, addressing Ernesto and Mariela.

Mariela completely ignored me, addressing Carlos. "Carlos, if Alicia wasn't to your liking, Carmen is friends with Daniela. You remember her from school, right? She's grown into a very attractive woman and is Cuban. You don't need to go slumming with the likes of her," she finished, obviously completely disgusted with me.

I felt Carlos tense.

"Mariela, you will not be rude to Stephanie-" Ernesto started, but was quickly interrupted by Carlos. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the anger that poured out of him had everyone's attention.

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear to you. I don't give a _flying fuck_ what you think about me and what I do, but don't you _ever_ disrespect Stephanie again. I love her, and I plan on spending the rest of my life with her, so you can take your holier-than-thou attitude and shove it. Why is it for the first thirty years of my life, you never gave a second thought to my wellbeing and needs, but suddenly, now that you've found out that I might have some money, you suddenly care about who I'm with and what I do?"

Mariela and Carmen gaped at him, like they had no idea what he was talking about.

"Please don't insult me and tell me that this sudden change in your attitude towards me has nothing to do with that stupid article in The Ledger about successful minority businessmen. We all know better. I didn't need you or your opinions for the first thirty years of my life, and I most definitely don't need or even want them now. Let me make something perfectly clear, right here and now. Stephanie is the woman I love, and she is the only woman since Rachel I have ever thought about marrying. She means more to me than you can ever understand. You have two choices: either accept Stephanie and treat her with the respect she deserves, or stay the hell out of my life. I really don't care either way, but I will not tolerate you disrespecting her ever again," Carlos growled before turning to his father.

"I apologize that this had to happen at your birthday, Papá," Carlos said.

Ernesto smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, too, but I understand, hijo."

Carlos and his father said their goodbyes, and he lead me out to his Porsche. I wasn't sure what to say. I could tell he was upset, but I decided to give him a little space. Well, at least as much space as you could give someone when you were traveling in a tiny sports car. We both spent the ride home lost in our own thoughts, and I was almost asleep when we finally pulled into RangeMan.

I was getting ready to ask if he was okay, but he spoke up first. "Babe, I'm going to go to the gym for a little bit. I'll meet you upstairs."

As much as I wanted to argue, I knew that this was how he worked through his problems. "Okay. Do you need me to come spot you or anything? I know you're still a little unsteady, even with the walking cast."

"I'll be fine, Babe." I could tell he wanted to be alone, so I agreed. I gave him a kiss as he got off the elevator, heading for the gym, and went up to seven on my own. I showered and got comfortable, then I headed out to the living room to wait for Carlos. I wasn't sure if he would want or need my company, but I planned on being there for him, just like he'd always been there for me. Carlos had given me a lot to think about when he told his mother and sisters how he felt about me. The thing that surprised me the most was how happy it made me to hear him say he had thought about marrying me.

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie & Jenny for all your hard work and advice.**


	45. Chapter 45

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**__  
__I was getting ready to ask if he was okay, but he spoke up first. "Babe, I'm going to go to the gym for a little bit. I'll meet you upstairs."___

_As much as I wanted to argue, I knew that this was how he worked through his problems. "Okay. Do you need me to come spot you or anything? I know you're still a little unsteady, even with the walking cast."___

_"I'll be fine, Babe." I could tell he wanted to be alone, so I agreed. I gave him a kiss when he got off for the gym, and went up to seven on my own. I showered and got comfortable, then I headed out to the living room to wait for Carlos. I wasn't sure if he would want or need my company, but I planned on being there however he needed me, just like he'd always been there for me. Carlos had given me a lot to think about when he told his mother and sisters how he felt about me. The thing that surprised me the most was how happy it made me to hear him say he had thought about marrying me._

**CHAPTER 45**

**RPOV**

I knew I should be upstairs apologizing to Steph for the way my mother and sister had behaved, but I was just too angry. I needed to work a little of it off before I said anything. I didn't want her to feel that any of the anger was directed at her.

Unfortunately, I wasn't having any luck with this stupid punching bag because of my damn cast. I was pissed off and frustrated, so I grabbed the closest thing to me and threw it. I heard a loud crash and watched as one of the mirrored panels on the wall came crashing down.

"_Fuck_!" I shouted.

I admit I really hadn't meant to do that, but it did make me feel a little better. I heard someone open the gym door, and felt my shoulders slump. I was hoping it wasn't Tank or Lester, because they were the only people stupid enough to demand I explain myself. Of course, I couldn't be that lucky.

"What the hell did you do that for?" I heard Tank ask.

I turned and saw Bobby, Lester, and Tank looking at me like I'd lost my mind. "It wasn't intentional."

"Really? 'Cause as far as I can tell, you picked up a barbell and threw it at a mirror. What exactly did you think would happen?" Lester asked incredulously.

"I really wasn't thinking about it one way or the other. Call Louis and have him come down and take care of it." I grabbed my towel and started for the door, since I was getting nowhere with my workout.

"_Oh hell no_! You're gonna tell us what's got your panties all in a bunch." Tank demanded. Apparently, Tank had been spending way too much time with Lula. He stepped in front of me, effectively blocking my way to the door. He was quickly joined by Larry & Curly.

"Bad day," I growled. When forced to reply, I found short, to-the-point answers the best way to go.

"Uh huh... and?" Lester asked.

"Did you and Bomber have a fight again?" Bobby asked.

God, when had I hired three Dr. Phils? "No, I did not have a fight with Steph. I spent the day with my family for Papa's 60th birthday."

They all knew about my past and about my family, so they knew exactly what I was talking about.

"So how bad was it?" Tank asked.

I sighed and sat down on the weight bench. "Well, let's see. My mother opened the door and immediately referred to Stephanie as my assistant. When I corrected her and told her Steph was my girlfriend, she turned around and walked away, without even speaking to Steph. Then Lucia brought some bitch up to me, and proceeded to tell me that she would make a perfect wife for me, even though I was standing there holding Steph's hand." I ran my hand through my hair and sighed again.

"Actually, after those two encounters, things were fine until we were leaving, and I went to say goodbye to Papa'. My mother decided to tell me about some woman Carmen knew and would introduce me to, so I could marry a nice Cuban woman and stop slumming with the likes of Stephanie." Just remembering the way my mother had treated the love of my life caused my blood to boil.

I heard all three of my friends gasp.

"Damn, what is it with the two of you and your mothers? They are both complete shrews," Lester told me, like I needed to be reminded. Tank and Bobby nodded their heads in agreement, and I didn't argue, because he was right.

"And what did you say to your Mother?" Tank asked, not to be sidetracked. Obviously, Lula had also turned him into a gossip.

"I told her to never disrespect Stephanie again, that she was 'the one,' and if I ever did get married again, it would be to her." I saw all three of their eyes widen, and I hurried on, trying to keep them from latching on to that last comment.

"You know, until about six months ago, when that stupid article ran in the Newark Ledger about me, my mother and sisters had never given me a second thought. Now that they think I might be loaded, they are all about hooking me up with their friends. I mean, I have had more phone calls from them in the past six months than I have ever had in my life. Until my mother called about Papa's party, I hadn't answered any of them, but every message they left was about wanting to introduce me to someone.

"It's like I'm finally worthy of them because I'm rich. I knew they would be this way towards Steph, but I was holding onto some tiny hope that they might actually accept her. I should have known better, and I definitely won't make the same mistake again." I finally ran out of steam and shut up. When the hell had I become Chatty Kathy? Next thing I know, I'll be on Oprah, crying about my childhood or jumping up and down on her couch, telling the world that I'm in love with Stephanie Plum.

"_You want to marry Bomber_?" Lester practically yelled, his eyes bugging out of his head.

I realized they were all giving me shit eating grins. Of course that's what they would focus on. "Eventually," I replied.

I was sticking with one word answers from now on. Less chance of sticking my foot in my mouth.

I definitely wasn't telling these morons about what I'd said to Lucia. Now that I'd had a chance to think about it, I realized that Stephanie hadn't questioned me about my statements. I wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not, but it kind of bothered me that she hadn't.

"Eventually, as in next week, or eventually as in next year or next millennium?" Lester prodded.

"I don't know. Eventually! As in eventually!" I growled. I was done talking. I grabbed my things and made my way to the door, but not before Lester started singing... quickly joined by Moe and Larry.

"Stephanie & Ranger sittin in the tree

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

First comes love

Then comes marriage

Then comes Ranger with a baby carriage."

I completely ignored them as I walked to the elevator. I couldn't wait to be rid of this damn cast so I could kick all their asses.

**SPOV**

I heard the door open and Carlos drop his keys in the bowl. I wasn't sure what kind of mood he would be in, so I decided to follow his lead. He has always been there for me with all my crazy family drama, so the least I could do was be there for him in whatever capacity he needed me.

As soon as he saw me, he smiled. I felt my heart stutter a little. It still amazed me the affect this man had on me. He came over and sat down beside me, pulling me towards him and placing a quick kiss on my cheek.

"You know, for someone who was at the gym, you're awfully dry," I said, noting that he wasn't very sweaty.

This earned me a genuine smile. "Yeah, the punching bag wasn't being very agreeable to the fact that I have a cast and can't move around very well. Plus, I had a visit from Larry, Curly, and Moe."

I tried to raise my eyebrow, but only succeeded in raising both. He got the idea.

"Tank, Lester, and Bobby."

I snorted. The nicknames were perfect. "So are you okay?" I finally asked.

He looked at me, confused. "Am I okay? I should be asking you that. I'm so sorry about the way my mother and sisters acted. I don't know why I even hoped that they would be different. I should have just skipped the party and had Papa and Cecilia come to dinner with us," he said, shaking his head.

"Carlos, don't be ridiculous. You have nothing to apologize for. You warned me about your mother and sisters, and honestly, I thought their game definitely needed some work. They don't even come close to my mother in the pettiness department. I mean they can't even hide their insults inside what sounds like a complement. Their little jabs at me were rather amateurish, to be honest. If I wasn't trying so hard not to disrespect your father at his own birthday, I would have shown them how a 'Burg girl does condescending and petty. They'd have deserved it for the way they treated you."

This got me an honest to goodness belly laugh out of Carlos. I wasn't sure exactly why it was so funny, because I was being completely serious, but I figured if it made him this happy, who was I to argue.

"Babe, you never disappoint. Here I was, upset that they had disrespected you, and you're ready to kick their asses for how they treated me." He leaned forward and gave me a slow, tender kiss. "Thanks for looking out for me," he said when he pulled away.

I decided now would be a good time to ask the question that had been driving me insane for the past hour. "So... you'd marry me?"

He started to chuckle, and I began to get pissed. "That's the Babe I know and love."

I looked at him, not having a clue what that was supposed to mean. I decided silence was the best way to respond. It always worked for him.

"I was wondering why you hadn't asked me before now. It actually had me kind of worried that you didn't," he explained.

Okay, I was completely lost. Somewhere along the way, this conversation had taken a wrong turn, and all I'd done was ask one four-word question. I continued to stare at Carlos, trying to ESP to him that he wasn't making sense and I was starting to get pissed, but I obviously still hadn't acquired that ability.

"Yes, I have thought about marrying you, and you are definitely the only woman who I have ever thought about in that way, not including Rachel, but I didn't want to marry her. I'm not in any hurry, and if it's not what you want, then I'll be okay with that, too. But I like the thought of us being married sometime down the road," he explained.

I could tell this conversation was making him uncomfortable. I was actually pretty uncomfortable at first myself, but the feeling of peace that settled over me when he explained himself stunned me. I had thought I'd never wanted to get married again. I was dead set against it, to be honest, but when Carlos first mentioned it today, I realized that it was something I wanted, and I was afraid it would be more than he could give me. It seemed like we were on the same page, though.

Carlos was starting to fidget, and I realized that I might have left him hanging a little too long.

I smiled at him. "I completely feel the same way. It kind of caught me off guard when you first said it, but as soon as you did, I realized I wanted the same thing. I'm in no hurry, either, but I do like the idea of being married to you."

This earned me a full blown 1000-watt smile before his lips crashed into mine. We spent the next few minutes making out like two teenagers, until he finally pulled away. I was pleased to realize that he was gasping for breath as much as I was. I loved knowing that I could get Batman all hot and bothered.

"I'm going to go take a shower," he told me.

I smiled at him. "You know, I'm awfully good in the shower?"

He raised his eyebrow. "Are you really? I can't seem to remember. Why don't you come give me a refresher course?" He smiled mischievously, and before I knew it, I was being carried to the shower, where I spent the next hour reminding him just how good I was.

I woke up the next morning to my cell phone ringing, and I saw it was only 7:00 in the morning. Who was calling me at this ungodly hour? Sundays were the only day I let myself sleep in, and now someone had ruined it. I reached over and grabbed my phone before the caller went to voice mail.

"'lo," I managed to get out.

"Pumpkin, it's your dad."

I really wanted to answer _'No shit_,' but I controlled myself. I loved my dad, even if he did disturb my sleep.

"Hey, Dad. What's up?" I asked, trying not to sound annoyed, even though I was.

"I was wondering if you and Ranger would like to meet me for lunch. My friend, Hal, is in town, and he'd really like to meet the both of you."

I finally looked around, and realized that Carlos wasn't in bed anymore. He'd probably gotten up at the butt crack of dawn for some bizarre reason, like he actually enjoyed being awake when the roosters crowed.

"Uh, I don't know about Carlos, but I know I can meet you. I'll ask him as soon as I find him and let you know."

"That's fine. How about we meet at Pino's about noon?"

"Sounds good. I figure Ranger will want to come too." I said, knowing that my Ranger was dying to meet 'The' Jaguar.

I hung up with my father, and went out to see where Carlos was. He was nowhere to be found, so I decided to shower before I left the apartment to look for him. As soon as I walked into the bathroom, I found a note taped to the mirror.

_Babe,_

_Went downstairs to catch up on some paperwork. Call me when you wake up, and I'll come up and have breakfast with you._

_Love you,_

_C_

My insides went all mushy. He really was a wonderful man. I grabbed my cell and called Carlos.

"Yo."

"Yo back!"

Carlos chuckled. "I didn't think you'd be up this early. I thought Sundays were your lazy days." I could hear the amusement in his voice.

I stuck my tongue out before realizing he wouldn't be able to see me.

"What did I tell you about that?" he asked.

"Huh? About what?" I was getting confused again.

"About sticking your tongue out at me?"

How the hell? "How'd you know?"

"Babe," he said, laughing.

Ugh, I was not awake enough for this conversation. "Dad called and woke me up. He said his friend, Hal, is in town, and they want to meet us for lunch."

"Jaguar? Really, what time?" He actually sounded excited.

"Noon. At Pino's."

"We'll be there. Do you want to have some breakfast now? I can call Ella and come up and join you."

"Mkay," I told him, hanging up.

_Ha_, take that Batman! You aren't the only one capable of poor phone etiquette.

I showered and got ready as quickly as I could, going light on the make up and just pulling my hair in a ponytail, but Ella had still already arrived with breakfast by the time I was done. Carlos and I ate our breakfast, chatting about everyday things. When we were finished, Carlos said that he still had some paperwork to do downstairs.

I hadn't had time to start my research into Jeanne Ellen, even though Carlos had given me the go ahead to see if I could figure out what was bothering me about her. I had spent most of my week trying to locate the missing girl. Today would be a perfect time to try and dig up some information on her, so I decided to follow Carlos down to 5 and get a little work done, until it was time to meet Dad and his friend.

I sat down and got to work. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything, so I was starting out easy and would get to the more in-depth searches later. I spent the next few hours trying to learn everything I could about Jeanne Ellen Burrows, but I was coming up blank. It wasn't that I wasn't finding anything on her; it was more that all the information seemed so basic and generic. I was still puzzling over it when Carlos knocked on my door.

"You ready to go, Babe?"

"Yep," I replied as I got up and turned off the computer.

Carlos took my hand, and we climbed on the elevator to go to the garage. When the elevator opened, I was a surprised to find Tank, Lester, Bobby, Ram, and Junior waiting for us. I turned to Carlos, but judging by the look on his face, he was just as confused as I was.

"Explain!" I demanded before Carlos could.

I saw his lips twitch up, but he kept his focus on the guys. It seemed that Tank was the one in charge of this small band of Merry Men, because he was the one that spoke up.

"I happened to overhear the Boss mention he was going to lunch with your dad and Jaguar. So the guys and I all agreed that we should go with you, to thank him for helping us retrieve Ranger," he explained, obviously proud of the excuse they made up to crash our lunch. "Besides you two still need someone to watch your back." He added.

Carlos and I looked at each other for a second. "Up to you, Babe. It's your father."

Before I could say anything, Lester spoke up. "Please, Bomber, all the guys that used to be in our unit will be so jealous that we got to meet Jaguar and Black Falcon. Plus, Ram here took a bullet for Ranger. Don't you think that he deserves it?"

I knew damn well that Carlos had given each one of the guys that rescued him a very hefty bonus, so Lester's argument wasn't really working for me. I didn't mind if they came with us, but I decided to give them a rough time.

"You're right, Lester. Ram, you're more than welcome to come with Carlos and me," I said as I walked over to the Porsche. I watched as all the other guys' mouths dropped.

"But... but what about us?" Bobby asked, looking very much like Puss in Boots, from Shrek, with his sad eyes.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care if you guys come, but stop wasting time. I'm hungry!" As if to drive my point home, my stomach started growling loudly.

This caused all the guys to laugh, but they quickly piled into two Explorers and followed us to Pino's. I called my dad on the way, to warn him that he was about to be overrun with Merry Men. He laughed and said he'd be prepared.

We got to Pino's, and I saw my dad's car was already there. We walked inside, and I saw him sitting in the back corner booth with a guy that looked somewhat familiar. My band of Merry Men followed me over to the table to sit down.

My father made all the introductions, then we ordered before talking.

Hal spoke up after a few minutes. "I haven't seen you since you were about five years old. You grew up into a beautiful young woman, Stephanie."

Of course, I immediately blushed. "I thought you looked familiar. So we have met before?"

"Yeah, I used to visit your dad a lot when you were younger, but my job kept me away for quite a few years," he explained as the waitress brought our food.

I spent the next hour watching the Merry Men, including Carlos, practically drool over my dad and Hal. I never thought the day would come when I would see Carlos this in awe of someone. Hal even told him that he had followed his career for years and was extremely impressed. When Hal told Carlos that he was one of the best he'd ever seen, I could have sworn Carlos actually blushed. While the guys continued to talk to Hal about their shared experiences, I turned to my dad.

"So, Daddy, how are things going with you?"

"They're really good, Pumpkin. The divorce is pretty much taken care of. We sign the papers in a few weeks, but we've already worked everything out. I'm happier than I can remember being in years. I think this might have been an eye opener for your mother, too. She's been seeing a psychiatrist for a while now, and I think it's helping. The last time I saw her, she was different, less bitter."

"Do you think you two could work it out if she continued getting help?" I asked. I knew it wasn't rational, but I still felt responsible for their split, and I wanted to make sure that Dad was positive this was what he wanted.

"You know, Pumpkin, I honestly don't see her getting help changing anything. I'm just not in love with her anymore, and I'm tired of trying to pretend to be happy with her, when I'm not. This isn't your fault! This was a long time coming, Stephanie."

"Okay, Dad, I just want you to be sure. If you're happy, then that's all that matters."

"I'm very happy these days, Steph." He smiled and patted my hand. "From what I hear, that crazy old coot Grandmother of yours absolutely loves living in your old apartment. I think things have worked out just the way they should." I smiled at him and turned back to listen to what the rest of the table was talking about.

Almost four hours later, we finally were headed back to RangeMan, but only after making plans for them to meet up with Hal and my Dad again for a boys' night out. I didn't mind, though; watching Carlos over the past few hours had been fun. He seemed to actually relax and let his guard down, and I was glad I got to see it.

We spent the rest of the evening on seven with the guys. They continued their Army love fest, and I found myself headed to bed alone, while the Merry Men and their fearless leader stayed up drinking and talking well into the night.

**TBC...**

**As always, a HUGE thank you to Jenny & Connie for all their help.**


	46. Chapter 46

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**__  
"Okay, Dad, I just want you to be sure. If you're happy, then that's all that matters."_

_"I'm very happy these days, Steph." He smiled and patted my hand. "From what I hear, that crazy old coot Grandmother of yours absolutely loves living in your old apartment. I think things have worked out just the way they should." I smiled at him and turned back to listen to what the rest of the table was talking about._

_Almost four hours later, we finally were headed back to RangeMan, but only after making plans for them to meet up with Hal and my Dad again for a boys' night out. I didn't mind, though; watching Carlos over the past few hours had been fun. He seemed to actually relax and let his guard down, and I was glad I got to see it._

_We spent the rest of the evening on seven with the guys. They continued their Army love fest, and I found myself headed to bed alone, while the Merry Men and their fearless leader stayed up drinking and talking well into the night._

**CHAPTER 46**

**SPOV**

I woke up Monday morning, and was surprised to find Carlos still in bed. Even though he couldn't workout like he normally did, he was still always out of bed before me in the mornings. I heard a small groan, and looked over at him. He was looking a little green, and he had some serious bags under his eyes.

"Carlos, you okay?"

"Uhhhhhh, not so loud."

Holy shit, he was hung over. I didn't think Batman got hung over. I knew I'd never seen it before.

"That's because I rarely drink more than a beer or two. Now, could you please stop thinking so loud? I'm dying here."

I smiled and kissed him on the forehead before climbing out of bed. My first task was to call the comm room and tell someone to run out and get the cure. I knew Bobby, Lester, and Tank had been up here all night, too, so I told them to get enough for all of them and deliver it to their apartments. They said that Lula had picked Tank up last night, so he was going to have to get his own cure.

After I got off the phone, I put some clothes on and went down to the gym. I did a quick workout, because I really wanted to get to work on the Mendoza case, and I still wanted to do a little more research into Jeanne Ellen. All my research so far had come up blank. I was starting to think that maybe the problem I'd had with Jeanne Ellen was jealousy, but I still had a few other searches I could run. I promised myself not to jump to any conclusions until I'd exhausted every resource.

When I was done working out, I went back upstairs to shower, and was shocked at the scene I found when I walked into the apartment. Carlos was sitting at the breakfast bar, looking like death warmed over, eating greasy fries and drinking a coke. He looked up when I walked in, and rolled his eyes at the look on my face. I found myself giggling when I realized what a role reversal this was.

"My pain is funny to you?" he asked dryly.

"No, not at all. The fact that I am just getting back from the gym, and you are stuffing yourself with greasy food and coke is, though. I mean, let's be honest, it feels a bit like the Twilight Zone"

He nodded in what I guessed was agreement. "Now I remember why I only have a few drinks anymore. The older I get, the crappier I feel the next day."

I completely understood where he was coming from. "Why don't you go back to sleep for an hour or two, and then come downstairs?"

He glared at me. "No, I'm going to work. I'd never let my employees get away with coming in late, just because they had a few too many," he explained.

He was right, so I didn't argue with him. "I'm going to hop in the shower. You wanna join me?" I asked.

I watched as his eyes went dark. "I _am_ really good in the shower," he told me, and before I knew it, we were both in the shower and Carlos' hands were all over me. Evidently, a little hangover didn't get in the way of the Cuban Sex God either. He spent the next thirty minutes showing me exactly how good he was in the shower.

Since Carlos had sidetracked me with his body, I had forgotten to call Ella for breakfast, so I just grabbed some cereal before going down to work. When Carlos and I stepped off the elevator, we were greeted by Bobby and Lester, who were looking a little green around the gills. I shook my head at them, and we all walked into Carlos' office.

"Thanks for the cure, Beautiful. I don't think I'd have made it in on time without it," he said quietly, and Bobby grunted in agreement.

"No problem, guys."

"Jeanne Ellen called a few minutes ago, and asked if we could get together to discuss the case sometime today. I told her we'd call her back when we scheduled a time," Bobby said.

"Okay, that's fine, but I haven't been able to find anything out. Maybe Jeanne Ellen has more leads. I spoke to the judge that sealed the adoption, and he doesn't remember anything. The man is in his eighties, so I'm guessing he's had a lot of cases, and remembering one that was ten years ago is expecting a lot. I'm free most of the day. I'd planned on spending most of the day working on this case anyway," I explained.

"Well, I'm still stuck in the office, so I'm free anytime as well," Carlos added.

"How about we meet at eleven? I was hoping to start speaking to the eight Isabellas that I've found living in Chambersburg. I don't think asking them if they gave a child up for adoption over the phone is the best way to go, so if one of you could come with me, maybe we could find something out that way," I said to the guys.

We all agreed to the 11:00 meeting, and Lester and Bobby said they would go canvass the Isabellas with me afterward. I could tell there was something else Lester had to say, so I waited patiently.

"Uh, Steph, the D.A. called this morning. Evidently, the judge that is presiding over Joe's hearing is fed up with all the continuances his lawyer keeps filing, and he decided to schedule the trial to start on Thursday. He's hoping to meet with both of you for most of the day tomorrow," Lester explained.

I felt all the color drain from my face. I had expected a little more warning than this. "Steph... Babe, sit down." I let Carlos guide me over to his couch. I took a few deep breaths and calmed down.

"Sorry, don't know what happened there. You just took me off guard, I guess," I tried to explain. I couldn't believe how terrified I still was of Joe. I knew it was completely irrational, but it didn't seem to matter. The thought of seeing him literally made me sick to my stomach.

"No problem, Bomber. I think we were all a little surprised. Normally, they give you a lot of time to get prepared," Bobby said.

"Yeah, I met with the D.A. a few times while Carlos was gone, and he went over my testimony, but I expected a little more warning," I told them.

"It'll be okay, Babe. We'll all be there. He won't get anywhere near you. I promise," Carlos told me, wrapping his arm around me.

"Yeah, Beautiful. We've got your back," Lester added.

I smiled, then Lester and Bobby excused themselves.

"You okay, Babe?" Carlos asked after they left.

"Yeah, I know I shouldn't be, but I'm still terrified of Joe. I know logically we will be in a room full of people, and you would never let anything happen to me, but it doesn't help. I mean, for the first time in my life, I can actually defend myself with something other than my knee, but it's like all logical thought leaves the building when I hear his name," I said, shaking my head angrily at myself.

"Stephanie, it's normal to have such a strong reaction. The man almost killed you. You have every right to feel the way you do, but I promise you, he will never hurt you again. I'll be right beside you the entire time. You won't have to face him alone." He leaned forward and kissed me tenderly. "I still wish Tank and Bobby hadn't pulled me off him. You wouldn't have to deal with any of this shit if they'd have just let me finish him off." I could feel the anger start to roll off of him.

I put both hands on his face and made him look at me. "Don't say that. I know what you've done to keep me safe, and I love you for it." I leaned forward and kissed him. "I never want you to have to live with that again. Joe will get what he deserves, and we will go on with our lives. This will all be over soon," I told him before kissing him again.

The kiss quickly deepened into something more, and just as I was getting ready to rip Carlos' clothes off, I heard someone clear their throat. I looked up to see Tank standing there, grinning like an idiot. I just rolled my eyes and waited to hear what he had to say.

"Bobby and Lester had to go to a client site, and asked me to tell you that Jeanne Ellen said she would be here at 11:00. They said they would be back by then and go out to do the interviews with you after the meeting."

Carlos and I both nodded, and Tank turned around and left the office. I stood up and straightened my shirt, that seemed to have come untucked while I was kissing Carlos. He smiled as I tucked it back in. "I'm going to get to work before my badass boss gets pissed at me," I said cheekily.

"Don't worry, I have some very creative ideas on how you can make it up to him," he said with a wolf grin.

I rolled my eyes and left his office for mine, where I sat down and got to work. I wanted to get addresses for all the Isabellas in the area. I also wanted to do a little more in-depth searches on Jeanne Ellen.

I spent the next few hours researching. I had found a total of twelve Isabellas within a thirty mile radius of Chambersburg. Four of them were under the age of twenty, so I dismissed them for now, thinking that they were a little too young to be who I was looking for. I knew anything was possible, but I decided to focus on the remaining eight before I looked into the younger ones. I had also looked deeper into Jeanne Ellen's background, but had found absolutely nothing. I heard a knock on the door, and looked up to find Carlos smiling at me.

"You look lost in thought, Babe. Something I could help you with?" he asked.

I sighed. "No, I was just looking at the information I found on Jeanne Ellen, but there's nothing," I explained, frustrated.

"Tell me what you're thinking. Sometimes it helps to talk it through," he explained as he sat down across the desk from me.

"There's nothing here. Just the basic info. Where she was born, where she went to school, her mother and father. That type of thing." I sighed again. "I admit, there is absolutely nothing here to lead me to believe that she is anything but who and what she says she is. Maybe it is jealousy. Maybe you were right all along."

I saw his brow furrow. "Shit. Stephanie, I was a complete asshole when I said that. " He got up, came around the desk, and pulled me up to him. "I hate that I'm the reason you're second guessing yourself. You have amazing instincts, and I let my male pride get in the way. I trust your instincts just as much as my own. If you think there is something there, then I believe you. Do you think we should step away from the case?" he asked.

I could see the sincerity in his eyes. I knew that if I said I didn't trust Jeanne Ellen enough, he'd walk away from the case. But I had no real reason not to trust her right now, and I didn't want to risk a kidnapped little girl because my Spidey sense didn't like the woman.

"No, Carlos, I definitely don't want to walk away from this case. A little girl is out there somewhere, scared and wanting her parents. If we can help find her, then we need to do whatever we can," I told him.

He looked in my eyes and seemed to be satisfied with what he found. "Okay, but if you change your mind, just say the word and we'll back off," he said firmly.

I shook my head and smiled. His faith in me always got to me. I was so used to everyone doubting me, it was sometimes hard to accept. He leaned forward and kissed me for all he was worth.

When he pulled away, he rested his head on my forehead. "We'd better get to the conference room. Jeanne Ellen should be here anytime," he told me. I quickly grabbed my research, and we headed to the conference room.

**RPOV**

I spent most of the morning doing paperwork after Steph left my office for hers. I was starting to think that Tank was sneaking all his paperwork onto my desk so he could get out of it. I certainly don't remember having to do all this shit. I got into this business because I thought I would be out in the field, and here I was, drowning in paper. I knew I wouldn't be cleared for the field for at least a month or more, and I was seriously thinking I might be crazy by that time.

I looked at the clock and realized Jeanne Ellen would be here in about fifteen minutes. I wanted a few minutes alone with Steph, so I decided to go get her from her office. I walked to the door, and noticed she seemed to be lost in thought, so I knocked, rather than just walking right in. She looked up and smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, so I knew something was bothering her.

"You look lost in thought, Babe. Something I could help you with?" I asked her.

As she talked, I could hear the frustration in her voice. She hadn't mentioned anything to me since she had started her search on Jeanne Ellen. I figured she would tell me if she found anything I should know, so I hadn't asked. Obviously. she was still trying to work through something, though.

I sat down in the guest chair and asked her to talk it through, knowing that usually helped me when I was feeling blocked about something.

She continued talking, and as soon as she mentioned the whole jealousy thing, I was slammed with guilt. It killed me that she was second guessing herself because of me. I had always believed in her, and because of one stupid comment, she wasn't sure of herself. Her mother and Joe had always made sure she felt incompetent and incapable, but I had always prided myself with the idea that I had always built her up and tried to make her more confident. I had to find a way to fix this.

"Shit. Stephanie, I was a complete asshole when I said that." I got up and pulled her towards me. I needed to touch her. I needed her to feel my sincerity as I tried to apologize and make amends.

I was completely serious when I asked if she thought we should step away from the case. I admit the girl reminded me a lot of Julie, and I would hate to walk away from a child if I could help her, but I trusted Steph enough to know that if she thought we shouldn't be part of this case, then we should just drop it.

I could see the emotions fly across her face. I knew my words had gotten through to her, but I could see she wasn't sure enough to risk the life of a child.

"No, Carlos, I definitely don't want to walk away from this case. A little girl is out there somewhere, scared and wanting her parents. If we can help find her, then we need to do whatever we can."

I looked in her eyes making sure she was positive about this. "Okay, but if you change your mind, just say the word and we'll back off," I promised.

She nodded and smiled. I leaned forward and kissed her, trying to put everything I felt for her into it.

I pulled away, breathless, and rested my forehead on hers, then said "we should get to the conference room. Jeanne Ellen should be here anytime." I was still feeling guilty that my words had caused her to second guess herself. I would just have to work harder at convincing her that I trusted her Spidey sense as much as I trusted my own.

**SPOV**

Carlos and I walked into the conference room to find the guys and Jeanne Ellen waiting for us.

"Hi, Jeanne Ellen!" I said trying to sound polite.

I couldn't quite place the look she gave me when she first looked up, but it was quickly replaced by a very fake smile. "Hello, Stephanie. Ranger. Thanks for seeing me today."

She waited until we were settled, then got straight down to business. "I spoke to my friend in Argentina, and pretty much all his leads have dried up except this one. He was looking for a progress report, and I told him I would try to get back to him as soon as possible. The parents are obviously going crazy with worry, and I was hoping maybe you had found something I could tell them."

Since I was the one doing the research, I was the one that responded. "I spent most of last week trying to find any information regarding the adoption, and haven't had any luck. I decided to try a different approach, and have started looking for women with the name Isabella living in a thirty-mile radius of Chambersburg. I came up with twelve, but I dismissed four of them due to age. I plan on going to the addresses that I came up with today to see if we can find anything that way," I explained, disappointed with my lack of progress. "I was wondering if you had heard anything else on your side that could help."

I could see Jeanne Ellen wasn't happy with our progress, either. "Unfortunately, my friend hasn't been able to turn anything up that could help us. I had hoped you would have found something by now. If you find anything during your interviews today, please let me know as soon as you can."

"Of course. I'll call you the second I get any information that could be useful," I told her honestly. I couldn't blame her for being upset with our progress, not when I was as well.

"I did have a few questions though." I told her.

She nodded her head waiting on me to continue.

"Is there a reason you believe someone from the 'Burg, is involved other than the fact that the adoption occurred in Chambersburg?"

"Actually, the phone call that was made from to the parents' house was traced down to a payphone in Chambersburg. It was the first lead I tried to follow. Unfortunately the payphone is beside an old gas station that has been closed for almost two years so there wasn't anyone I could question." She explained.

"Okay, well I'll call you if I have any more questions," I told her.

She nodded her head and stood up. "Perhaps we can meet again on Wednesday and discuss your progress.

"That would be fine. We can meet at the same time Wednesday, if that's okay with you," Carlos told her as he rose to shake her hand.

"That's fine. Please call me if you hear anything sooner," she said before leaving.

After she walked out the door, Carlos turned to me and smiled. "Let's go up to seven and get some lunch before you and the guys head out," he told me, reaching his hand out for me.

I took his hand and let him pull me up and out of the conference room, where we ran into Lester and Bobby.

"Hey, Beautiful, you want to go to Pino's before we start knocking on doors?" Lester asked.

My stomach immediately spoke up in agreement. I blushed and turned to Carlos. "Fine, we'll follow you guys there," he told them, shaking his head.

I was grinning at him from ear to ear. "Yum. Thanks, Carlos!"

"No problem, Babe. I know better than to come between you and your food. Especially when it's Pino's," he told me with a laugh.

I thought about being offended, but figured since it was the truth, I'd let him slide.

**TBC...**

**Without the help of my wonderful friends Connie & Jen this story would still be floating around in my head. Thanks girls. **


	47. Chapter 47

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING: This story is _VERY_ Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**  
After she walked out the door, Carlos turned to me and smiled. "Let's go up to seven and get some lunch before you and the guys go out interviewing Isabellas," he told me, reaching his hand out for me._

_I took his hand and let him pull me up and out of the conference room, where we ran into Lester and Bobby._

"Hey, Beautiful, you want to go to Pino's before we start knocking on doors?" Lester asked.

_My stomach immediately spoke up in agreement. I blushed and turned to Carlos. "Fine, we'll follow you guys there," he told them, shaking his head._

_I was grinning at him from ear to ear. "Yum. Thanks, Carlos!"_

_"No problem, Babe. I know better than to come between you and your food. Especially when it's Pino's," he told me with a laugh._

_I thought about being offended, but figured since it was the truth, I'd let him slide._

**CHAPTER 47**

**SPOV**

Carlos pulled into Pino's, with Lester following close behind. He had also 'invited' Hal and Ram to eat with us. He wasn't fooling me, though. I knew he wanted extra protection, since we were out together in public and the stalker seemed more likely to strike when we were together. I admit it was annoying, but I was starting to realize that if I accepted these small inconveniences, then Carlos could actually enjoy himself a little when we were out because he wasn't spending all his time worrying about our safety.

Carlos found a parking place right outside the door, and the guys found another place a few spots down. We waited for them to meet us at the car before we climbed out and quickly headed inside. As we walked inside with our friends/guards, I realized how much things had changed but still stayed the same in the past year. The things that had changed? My relationships with Carlos, Joe, and my mother were completely different. I was in a wonderful relationship with the man of my dreams. And for the first time in my life, I felt confident in my abilities to take care of myself and do my job. The things that had stayed the same? I still had a stalker and needed bodyguards. I was shaking my head and smiling to myself when Carlos got my attention.

"Babe?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

I took that Babe as a 'what's going through that crazy head of yours' Babe.

I just shook my head. "Nothing, Carlos. Just thinking," I told him as we slid into our usual booth with all the Merry Men close behind.

"Care to share?" he asked after we gave our drink orders to the waitress.

"Nothing important," I said with a smile.

He seemed willing to let it go and he changed the subject. "Would you like to go to dinner tonight?"

I was surprised. "I thought we were trying not to go out in public to much together?" I asked. I was actually surprised he'd agreed to come to Pino's.

He just gave me his half smile. "I'll worry about that. You just need to be ready by 7:00. Is that okay?"

Who was I to argue? "That's perfect."

I had totally forgotten the guys were sitting there until Lester spoke up. "Great, so you two have a date tonight. Can we order now? I'm starving."

"Jealous, Santos?" Carlos asked with a smug look on his face.

"What? No! I'm just hungry, and watching you two make googly eyes at each other is much easier to take on a full stomach."

I rolled my eyes. "Right, Lester. Whatever you say."

"Beautiful, I could have you looking at me like that in no time if I really wanted to. I just figured since Ranger has no social skills whatsoever, I shouldn't take away the one woman that will put up with his shit," Lester explained teasingly, causing Bobby to smack him upside the head and Carlos to growl.

I snorted. "Lester, you couldn't get me to look at you like that even if you were covered with Boston creme donuts and made entirely of pineapple upside down cake."

This caused Carlos to grant me one of his 200W smiles just as the waitress arrived with our drinks. Before I could do or say anything, the waitress lost control of her tray and proceeded to spill all six glasses she was carrying all over Lester. The look on Lester's face was absolutely hilarious, and I was gasping for air, I was laughing so hard. I noticed that even Carlos and Tank had to wipe the tears from their eyes as they laughed.

The waitress was completely mortified and tried to help Lester dry off, but he was completely soaked, and nothing was helping. He quickly took the towel the waitress was trying to dry him off with out of her hands. "I'll take care of it," he told her shortly. She just nodded her head and went back to the kitchen area.

Lester stood up and held his hand out to Bobby. Bobby just looked at him. He was laughing too hard to actually ask what Lester wanted. "Give me the damn keys so I can go change before this gets any stickier," Lester demanded. This set off another round of giggles around the table, making Lester glare at each of us before stomping off to the truck.

We got through the rest of lunch without any other incidents. Our waitress never came back out before we left; she was replaced by Tony, the owner. I made sure he knew it wasn't her fault. Well, technically it was, but I didn't see the point in trying to explain the effect Carlos' smile has been known to have on women. While we were waiting for the check, Carlos got a call and had to leave for a client's site. He took Ram with him, and Hal stayed behind to to go with Bobby and me to speak to the Isabellas I had found.

We spent the rest of the day speaking to four of the Isabellas I had found living around Chambersburg. All of them said they had never given a child up for adoption. The were nice and fairly open when I explained the reasons for my questions. I really didn't believe that any of these women were the Isabella I was looking for. I saw that it was almost 5:00 PM, and I wanted to get home and have plenty of time to get ready for my date, so I told the guys we could call it a day and head back to Haywood.

When I got back to RangeMan, I bypassed the fifth floor and made my way to seven. It was already 5:30, and I was planning on making good use of the next hour and a half. I went straight to the closet once I was inside the apartment. I needed to find the perfect outfit for tonight. I wasn't even sure what I had, because each time I looked, clothing that I had never seen before would miraculously appear. I was pretty sure it was Ella. I had said more than once that the woman was magic, and that was just one of the reasons. I tore through my closet and realized that she had again managed to slip quiet a few things in while I wasn't looking. I also realized that Ella had spectacular tastes. I finally settled on a sexy little number from Victoria's Secret. It was soft and slinky, with a crisscrossed back. I thought Carlos would love it.

My clothing decision made, I quickly jumped into the shower so I could shave, exfoliate, and moisturize every part of my body. I knew I had a little extra time, so I decided to give Carlos a surprise. With that part of my beautification ritual out of the way, I climbed out of the shower and dried myself off, applying some Shea Cashmere Body Creme from Bath & Body Works. My skin felt like velvet. After I finished with my hair and makeup, I went to put on some jewelry, and noticed that it was already 6:50 and Carlos hadn't been in to change. I was wondering if he might have been held up with the client, when I heard him walk in the front door.

I walked out to meet him, expecting to find him in his RangeMan gear, but found him completely ready for our date and looking absolutely delicious. Once my eyes finally made their way up his body to lock with his, I realized that he was looking at me like I was dessert. Or in Ranger's case, a very tasty salad.

He walked towards me until we were almost touching, and gently ran his hand down my jaw. "You're breathtaking," he whispered as he leaned forward and brushed his lips across mine.

"You're not so bad yourself," I replied softly.

He smiled and stepped away from me. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my purse."

"Leave it. You won't need it."

I looked at him questioningly. "Do you trust me, Babe?"

"Of course I do, Carlos. You don't even have to ask," I answered firmly.

He granted me a full blown smile as he pulled a black silk scarf out of his pocket. "I want this to be a surprise. Will you let me blindfold you?" he asked uncertainly.

I didn't even have to think about it. I smiled. "Go right ahead," I told him, and turned around so he could put the blindfold on me.

"Babe, I'm going to pick you up and carry you, if that's all right with you."

I nodded my head, letting him know that it was okay, and I was instantly resting in his two warm and muscular arms as he whisked me out of the apartment. I expected him to take me to the elevator, but he didn't. I really didn't give it much thought, because I was starting to get more and more turned on from being blindfolded. I had always been uncomfortable handing over control to others, especially men, but right that second, there was nothing I wanted more than to allow Carlos to explore my body while I was blindfolded. Maybe he had a few more of those scarves and he could tie me up, too. _Whoa... Where had _that_ come from?_

"Babe, you'd better reign in your thoughts a little, or I'm going to forget all about my surprise for you and take you straight back to bed," he murmured, his voice husky.

I felt the blush spread across my cheeks and started to reply, but then realized we were outside. I was a little confused, since we never did get on the elevator, and my curiosity got the better of me. "Where are you taking me, Carlos?"

He chuckled, knowing that I'd managed to avoid his comment. He set me on my feet and turned my back to him. I felt his lips brush my bare shoulder before he reached up and gently removed my blindfold. What I saw in front of me took my breath away. We were standing on top of the RangeMan building, and the entire rooftop had been turned into a scene straight out of a movie. There were thousands of twinkling white lights dancing around every corner on the roof. Hundreds of different colored roses had been placed in various spots, and the beautiful night sky with the city of Trenton shone in the background. Everything was set up to accent the table at the center of the roof, where there were two place settings for us. I honestly never thought things like this happened outside of the movies. I never imagined that anyone would be so romantic, especially towards me.

I turned to look at Carlos with tears in my eyes. He gave me a tender smile, and reached forward to kiss me. "I wanted you to know how much you mean to me, how much I appreciate everything you've done for me and my company, and more importantly, how lucky I feel that you have given me your love. I couldn't ask for a greater gift than that, Stephanie. And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you know it." He ran his fingers up and down my arms as he spoke, then leaned forward and gently kissed me one more time before turning me around, leading me to the table, and helping me into my seat.

"Carlos, this is amazing. I can't believe you went to all this trouble for me."

"It wasn't any trouble, Babe. It was all worth it, just to see the look of happiness on your face," he told me as he reached forward and squeezed my hand.

"Thank you so much," I murmured with a watery smile.

He returned my smile, and turned his focus on the food. He lifted the sterling silver coverings on our plates. I was surprised when I saw that we both had plates of fettuccine alfredo with sausage. I couldn't imagine Carlos polluting the temple with it.

I looked up at him and knew the surprise was plain to see. "I asked Ella to make your favorites. I figured I'd give the temple a day off and enjoy it with you," he explained, smiling.

I was completely undone. The fact that Carlos was going to willingly eat something I was sure he found repulsive, just so he could make me happy, was almost more than I could comprehend. I gave him a dazzling smile. "I love you, Carlos." Carlos and I both had trouble expressing our emotions. So it made the times that we did express our feelings all that more meaningful and sincere.

"I love you, too, Babe," he replied sincerely.

After that, we spent the rest of the night enjoying each other's company. It was absolutely the most romantic night of my life. Carlos had even set up speakers around the roof, and soft music was being played as the backdrop to our evening. When were were finished with our meals, Carlos stood and went over and picked up the last two covered plates. He set one in front of me and one in front of his own chair.

I guessed that it was dessert, but Carlos tugged at my hand and pulled me up so he could sit in my chair. He pulled me down on his lap, and began to kiss his way down my neck and across my shoulder. I was so focused on what Carlos was doing with his mouth, that I had completely forgotten the covered dish in front of me until Carlos removed the lid. I saw the yummy tiramisu on the plate in front of me, and my eyes glazed over.

Carlos spoke up then. "I love hearing you eat. The little moans and noises you make flood my mind with memories of times you've made those noises with me," he explained as he began slowly feeding me each delicious bite. The sexual tension that had been hanging in the air all evening increased from a steady hum, to a point that I was almost trembling with need. I knew that Carlos was feeling it, too; there was ample evidence poking me in the ass as I sat on his lap.

I noticed the plate that Carlos had set in front of his chair as he fed me the last bite. "What about yours?" I asked, my voice rough and sultry. "Do I get to feed your dessert to you?" I whispered, as my tongue traced the shell of his ear and then down the side of his neck. I heard a moan rumble from deep inside of his chest that I swear I felt between my legs.

Carlos finally managed to answer me. "Not quite, Babe. What's on that plate is for you. You're the only dessert I will ever want or need," he told me in a deep, husky voice. I felt my already damp panties become flooded with juices, so much that I was sure Carlos could tell. He didn't say anything, though. Instead, he pushed the dessert plate out of the way and reached for the last plate.

"Go ahead, Babe. Open it," he prodded.

I took the covering off, and was shocked to find two Tiffany's jewelry boxes instead of more dessert. I looked up at Carlos, and saw excitement and love in his eyes. I reached for the first of the two boxes, elongated like it was holding a necklace or bracelet. Inside, I found one of the most beautiful necklaces I had ever seen. On the chain was a triple drop pendent with diamonds in a platinum setting.

"Carlos, it's beautiful," I told him as I lifted the necklace out of the box and asked him to help me put it on.

Once it was around my neck, I reached for the other box. I opened it and found a set of matching earrings. I quickly put them on, and turned around to give Carlos a long, lingering kiss. "They're beautiful, Carlos," I told him when I pulled away.

He smiled. "They don't hold a candle to you, Babe."

"Thank you, Carlos. Not just for the jewelery, but for everything. Tonight has been one of the best nights of my life, and I didn't even have to leave home."

"You're welcome, Babe. I completely agree; tonight has been amazing, but it's not even close to being over."

I looked him in the eyes, and was knocked breathless by what I saw there. There was obviously desire and lust, but more than anything, there was more love and passion than I ever thought possible. I stood up off his lap and held out my hand for him. "Dance with me."

He smiled and readily took my hand. He took the lead, and completely swept me off my feet. We spent the next half hour dancing, touching, and kissing, until I was in such a state that I was about to throw him down on the roof and rip his clothes off. Instead, I decided to take a little less direct approach, but nearly as passionate.

"Take me to bed, Carlos," I demanded. I knew he could could hear the desire and need in my voice.

Carlos stepped away slightly, but he didn't lose contact with me. He took my hand and led me down the steps to the apartment. I expected, and wanted, to be thrown against the door as soon as he shut it, but instead, he pulled me with him to the bedroom and stopped me right in front of the full-length mirror.

"I'm going to show you what you do to me, Querida. I want you to watch me as I worship your body," he murmured after removing his jacket and shirt, revealing his amazingly sculpted chest.

"God, you are so beautiful," he told me. "Tú eres mi alma gemela. No sé lo que hice para que usted se merece, en mi vida, pero nunca voy a pasar un segundo sin ti. Eres mía a partir de ahora hasta que la eternidad. Toda una vida contigo no será suficiente_." (You are my soul mate. I don't know what I did to deserve you in my life, but I will never spend another second without you. You are mine from now til eternity. A lifetime with you won't be enough.)_

And then he spent the rest of the night making me feel like I was the only woman in the world for him. 

Steph's Dress  . ?namespace=productDisplay&origin= &event=display&prnbr=GN-250561&page=1&cgname=OSCLODRSBLK&rfnbr=3198

**TBC...**

**A HUGE thank you to Jenny & Connie.**


	48. Chapter 48

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**__  
The next thing I knew, I was laying in bed with Carlos' arms wrapped around me as he covered me in tender kisses. "Mmmm, that was amazing."_

He let out a little laugh. "God, Babe. That was beyond hot. That was more than amazing. There aren't words. You really never disappoint," he murmured.

I felt myself smile, enjoying the fact that I had made Ranger lose control, and that he'd enjoyed it as much as I did. I opened me eyes and looked at him.

_"I planned to spend the night slowly exploring your body and making tender love to you until we collapsed in exhaustion. Seems the only part of that plan I managed to keep intact was collapsing in exhaustion," he told me with a chuckle. "As usual, all my plans go out the window when you're involved."_

I thought about some of the things I'd just said and done, and realized how out of control I had gotten. I was suddenly embarrassed, and unsure of what had come over me.

"No, Steph. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. That was amazing. The things you said and did where incredible. I don't remember ever being that turned on, and the fact that you let me blindfold you while taking you in a position I know you're normally uncomfortable with made it even more erotic," he said as he leaned down to kiss me.

"Now I think it's time for us to get back on track with my plan," he explained, and then spent the next few hours showing me exactly how good he was at planning.

**CHAPTER 48**

**RPOV**

I awoke on Tuesday a few minutes before my alarm went off. I knew I had to get up and go to the gym to do my physical therapy, but I wanted a few minutes of peace with Steph. I looked down at her, enjoying the way she always ended up wrapped in my arms, no matter how we fell asleep. She was still sleeping peacefully, and it gave me a chance to think about last night. Steph had definitely surprised me, and I can't remember ever being that turned on by a woman. I quickly realized I needed to change my thoughts to more mundane things, or I was going to have to have my way with her again. Hmm, that wasn't such a bad idea, now that I thought about it.

An hour later, we were both running behind, but completely sated. We were trying to get ready to finish up our breakfasts when the phone rang.

"Yo!"

"Hey, Boss. The D.A. is here to meet with Bomber," Binkie replied.

"Okay. Put him in conference room three. She'll be down in a few minutes," I told him before hanging up. I noticed Stephanie was quickly shoveling the last of her breakfast down, and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to hear it, Carlos. I'm running late and starving, and it's all your fault," she pouted, trying to grab all her things.

"Babe, you're always starving," I told her, happily willing to take the blame for making us late.

"Yes, but I seemed to have depleted all my energy over the past twelve hours. You wouldn't know how that happened, would you?"

I gave her my half smile, and shrugged my shoulder. She just rolled her eyes and made her way to the door, with me following behind her. We got off the elevator and started to go our separate ways, but before she got too far, I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to me to give her a kiss. The kiss took on a life of its own, and before I knew it, Tank was clearing his throat, trying to get our attention.

I turned to glare at him, but he was grinning like an idiot and didn't seem to care. "The D.A. is conference room three, waiting for Bomber, and your 8:00 appointment has been waiting for you since 8:00 AM, which was three minutes ago," he explained, chuckling.

I continued to glare at him, until he turned and walked away, then I went in to meet my appointment. Why can't I remember making an appointment? I thought as I walked into my office. I saw the General sitting there, and was instantly pissed off. He had been my commanding officer for the last five years of my service and a complete pain in my ass the whole time. I knew I'd never scheduled this meeting, because there was no way I would want to meet with him again. Even if I had wanted to, I definitely wouldn't have forgotten, and there was no way in hell I'd have been late. _Shit._

He stood up as he heard me walk into the office. "Just out of the service a few months, and you're already getting lazy. You're three minutes late." His voice was harsh and demanding. Part of me wanted to stand at attention and allow him to give me the verbal lashing that I deserved, but then I remembered I wasn't in the service anymore, and this man was a complete asshole.

"I wasn't aware we had an appointment, General" I told him as I sat down behind my desk. I knew this would be viewed as an insult, but I was enjoying it.

He finally sat down and stared at me for a few minutes. "I called this morning and scheduled it," he explained. I wondered why no one had called me, and then remembered that Tank had called while I was a little distracted this morning, and I'd never gotten around to checking his message. I almost smiled at the thought.

"What can I do for you, Sir?" I asked. The Sir was ingrained into me, and I didn't want to be that disrespectful. He may be an ass, but he'd still spent his entire life serving our country.

"I think you need to sign another contract with us, now that you seem to be mostly healed."

I looked at him for a few minutes, wondering if he was being serious, because there was no way I was going to tie myself to the government for another second. "Not interested," I replied.

He glared at me for a few minutes. I'm sure lesser men with less to lose would have caved under the pressure, but I wasn't about to give up what I had with Stephanie. "Was that all?" I asked, ready for him to leave.

"Don't you feel you owe it to your country?" he asked, obviously believing in what he was saying.

"I have given my country years of my blood, sweat, and tears. I'd say I've given enough. Nothing you can do or say will change my mind, so if that's all, then I'd say we're done here," I told him coldly.

He continued to stare at me for a few more seconds before acknowledging my answer with a slight nod. "Fine. We might be interested in contracting RangeMan out for some help on a case that seems to have found its way into your backyard."

I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

"For years, there have been rumors of a contract operator known as 'Mantis.' Mantis has been tied to some of the most difficult and damaging assassinations that have occurred over the past fifteen years. All of the targets had above average security details, and some were even living under alternate identities. He is being hunted by pretty much every major government on the planet, but no one has been able to find enough information to lead to his capture. There are almost twenty million dollars in bounties being offered by varies governments for the capture or elimination of Mantis," he explained.

"Why are you involved? Isn't this something that is normally handled by the FBI or CIA?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, normally that is the case, but all the evidence leads us to believe that Mantis was trained by us. We are working with both agencies, but we're taking the lead. We all believe if he was trained by us, then we will have a better chance of capturing him."

It made sense. If Mantis had been trained by the Army, then someone who had the same training would be more likely to find him. "I don't understand how this affects me."

"The latest intel we gathered included some rumors that Mantis might have set up shop in Trenton," he explained.

Why the hell would an international killer make Trenton his headquarters? It didn't make much sense. There were other locations that would be much more useful.

"Why Trenton?"

He shrugged. "We don't know. We could be wrong, but I thought with the contacts that RangeMan has, the experience you have, and the resources we can offer you, we might be able to capture him together."

I thought about it for a few minutes. I wasn't sure I wanted to take on something so big and potentially dangerous right now. We had Morelli's trial coming up, and I wanted to be able to focus all my energy on Steph and helping her get through it. Still, deep in my gut, I could already feel the anger eating away at me that someone would take the training we were given to make our country safe and use it to be a hired murderer.

"I'll think about it. When do you need an answer by?" I asked.

I watched the anger flash in his eyes, but he quickly got it under control. I knew the fact that I wasn't willing to just do what he commanded pissed him off, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. He was right; RangeMan and I had incredible contacts, and although he was a powerful man and had been my direct commander for years, in the real world, he knew my contacts were just as powerful as his.

"Monday," he told me crisply.

I nodded, and stood as he left. I needed to think about this, and maybe talk to Tank about what he thought, but it could wait until tomorrow. I had a ton of paperwork to get done this morning, and then I was going to have to spend the afternoon with the D.A., preparing for my testimony.

**SPOV**

Boy, who knew sitting in a conference room for four hours could be so exhausting? We went through all the questions he would ask me, and then spent the rest of the time preparing me for the defense's questions. That was what had been so hard. I was almost in tears by the time we were finished.

"Well, Stephanie, I think that covers pretty much everything. I know some of the questions were harsh and personal, but I wanted you to be prepared and ready for them before you got on the stand," Jack explained.

I nodded my head. "I understand, Jack. It's just really hard to relive everything again. I can't wait until this is all over."

He gave me a genuine smile. "It won't be that much longer, Steph. I have a lunch appointment, so could you please tell Mr. Manoso I'll be back by 1:30 to go over his testimony?"

"No problem, Jack. I'll let him know," I told him as I shook his hand before he left.

I finally pulled myself together, and decided to go find Carlos and see if he was ready for lunch. I could really use a little Carlos pick-me-up before I went in search of the last few Isabellas on my list. I was wandering though the hall, my head going through all the things Jack and I had talked about, when I ran into a very solid and very yummy chest. I looked up into Ranger's eyes, and gave him a little smile. Of course, he immediately noticed that something was bothering me.

"What's wrong, Babe?" he asked, concerned. He wrapped his arms around me.

"Nothing, really. It was just a very long morning," I explained, not really wanting to go into it, just enjoying the feel of his arms around me.

I felt him nod before he spoke up. "Do you want to go up to seven and have some lunch? I already called Ella, and it should be ready."

I smiled, and then pulled away from him. "Yeah, that would be nice. Jack said to tell you he'd be back at 1:30 to start going over your testimony," I told him while we walked to the elevator.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" he asked once we sat down and started eating our lunch.

"I've got four more Isabellas to interview. I spoke to Les earlier, and he said he'd go with me, as long as I didn't bring up lunch yesterday."

That made Carlos grin. We finished eating our lunch and went back down to five. He was going to get ready for his meeting with Jack, and I was on the hunt for Les. I finally found him sitting in the breakroom.

"You ready to head out, Beautiful?" he asked when he saw me.

"Yep, let's get a move on," I answered, trying to put my crappy morning behind me.

"You okay, Steph? You look a little tired. Ranger been keeping you up too late? Do I need to have a little chat with him?" he asked mischievously.

I rolled my eyes. "No, Les, Ranger is taking very good care of me, if you must know. Going over everything with the D.A. this morning was just a little draining."

He nodded, giving me a sympathetic smile before we climbed into his Explorer. "It's almost over, Steph," he told me, and reached over to squeeze my hand for reassurance.

"And I for one can not be more ready for it to be over," I said lightly.

He just nodded his head in understanding. "Okay, Beautiful, where are we going?" he asked as he pulled out of Haywood.

I gave him directions, and we went to the next three Isabellas on the list, coming up with absolutely nothing. On our way to the last Isabella, I finally felt my Spidey sense start to tingle, and thought that maybe we might finally find something.

We went and knocked at the door of a small duplex, but there wasn't any answer. We waited for a good five minutes, hoping she would miraculously answer the door, even though we both knew she wasn't home. As we were walking away, the person living in the other part of the duplex opened her door. She looked to be a little over twenty years old, but seemed to have had a pretty rough twenty years. She was painfully thin, and her eyes looked haunted.

"You lookin' for Isabella?" she asked as she wiped her nose with her hand.

"Yes. Do you know where we can find her?" I asked, walking over to her door.

"Not right now. She keeps some pretty strange hours," she explained.

"Do you know where she works?" Les asked, and I watched as the girl gave him the once over. I barely managed to control the eye roll that was threatening to come out.

"Nope," she answered, blatantly checking Lester out.

I held my hand out to her. "My name is Stephanie, and this is my friend, Lester."

She shrugged and shook my hand, but was still eyeing Lester. "I'm Crystal."

I could tell it was starting to make him feel uncomfortable, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I pulled out my RangeMan business card and handed it to her. "Would you mind calling me the next time you see that she's home?"

"She in some sort of trouble or something?" she asked, taking the card.

"No, we just have a few questions to ask her," I reassured her.

"Okay, well, I guess I can do that then," she said, wiping her nose again.

"Thank you," I said before leaving.

We climbed in the truck and made our way back to RangeMan, since we were out of Isabellas. "That girl seriously needs to give the nose candy a rest," Lester said, shaking his head.

"How can you tell?" I asked, surprised.

"Well, first, she was wiping her nose every ten seconds. Then, she was grinding her teeth to the point I'm surprised she has any left, and finally, I'd say the lines I could see cut out on the coffee table behind her pointed to her having a serious candy problem," he explained.

Huh, guess I'd missed that. Hope she wasn't too stoned to remember to give me a call when she saw Isabella again.

We pulled into the garage and got onto the elevator. Lester got off on four, and I went up to seven. I walked in and found Carlos on the couch, drinking a beer, and was a little worried. Last time I found him in this position, he told me he had to leave on a mission, and was gone for the next six months.

"Carlos?" I asked hesitantly.

He turned and smiled at me. He looked tired, but didn't seem upset. "Hey, Babe. How was your day? Any luck?" he asked.

"Nope, nothing. Are you okay?"

He looked at me strangely, and then it seemed to dawn on him. "I'm fine, Babe. This afternoon was just a little stressful," he explained.

I dropped onto the couch beside him and took a swig of his beer. "I totally understand," I commiserated.

He wrapped his arms around me. "How are you doing with all this, Babe? I know it's got to be hard on you."

I shrugged. "I'm just trying to focus on my goal. I need to testify. Joe needs to get convicted, go to jail, and hopefully I'll never have to see him again. I might be using a little denial to keep me from going nuts," I answered honestly.

He started to speak up, but I stopped him. "I'm not trying to avoid it. I'm trying to do what I need to do to get through it, and then when I don't need to be thinking about it or worrying about it, I fall back on denial. I think it's a very productive way of using denial. I know I have to face him at the trial, and I'll be honest, I'm scared shitless, but if I keep thinking and worrying about it, then I'll go crazy. I will face him, and I will be scared, but you'll be there with me, and I know as long as you're there with me, everything will be okay."

He smiled at me for a second, and then quickly kissed my nose. "I'm glad you're not stressing yourself over it, but I have a much better way to keep your mind off the whole situation," he told me with a wolf grin.

"Oh really? Why don't you show me then..."

That was all it took for Carlos to whisk me away to our bedroom and give me reason after reason not to think about anything but him.

**TBC...**

**Thank you Connie & Jenny for all your hard work and support. I can't believe it's almost finished.**


	49. Chapter 49

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**__  
He wrapped his arms around me. "How are you doing with all this, Babe? I know it's got to be hard on you."_

_I shrugged. "I'm just trying to focus on my goal. I need to testify. Joe needs to get convicted, go to jail, and hopefully I'll never have to see him again. I might be using a little denial to keep me from going nuts," I answered honestly._

_He started to speak up, but I stopped him. "I'm not trying to avoid it. I'm trying to do what I need to do to get through it, and then when I don't need to be thinking about it or worrying about it, I fall back on denial. I think it's a very productive way of using denial. I know I have to face him at the trial, and I'll be honest, I'm scared shitless, but if I keep thinking and worrying about it, then I'll go crazy. I will face him, and I will be scared, but you'll be there with me, and I know as long as you're there with me, everything will be okay."_

_He smiled at me for a second, and then quickly kissed my nose. "I'm glad you're not stressing yourself over it, but I have a much better way to keep your mind off the whole situation," he told me with a wolf grin._

_"Oh really? Why don't you show me then..."_

_That was all it took for Carlos to whisk me away to our bedroom and give me reason after reason not to think about anything but him._

**CHAPTER 49**

**SPOV**

Wednesday morning, I found myself down in the office before 8:00 AM. Even though Carlos had kept me up until the wee hours of the morning, I still couldn't sleep, because I was starting to worry about tomorrow. Carlos and I were both up by 5:00, ready to face the day. I went down and did my normal workout routine, and then sparred with Tank and Lester for a little bit while Carlos finished up his physical therapy. After a quick breakfast, he was out the door to go to an install with Tank. It was the first time he'd been in the field since he got back, and even though it was only an install, I could tell he was excited.

I decided to make my way to my office so I could get back to work on the Mendoza case. None of my leads had panned out, and we still had to meet with Jeanne Ellen again today at 11:00. I hated not having anything to give her. I was looking through all the research I had already done, but my mind kept wandering back to Jeanne Ellen.

Something about this whole thing wasn't sitting right with me. I wasn't sure if it was the case, or Jeanne Ellen that I was having a problem with anymore. Initially, I had thought it was just Jeanne Ellen, but now I wasn't so sure. I was frustrated on the lack of information I found about Jeanne Ellen and decided do one last search.

RangeMan had recently acquired the facial recognition software that the FBI has been using to search the DMV for fugitives. We had just gotten it, and I only knew the very basics of how to use it. Silvio was still putting together a training seminar for RangeMan, but he wouldn't be ready for a few more weeks. I decided to give it a whirl; I mean, what did I have to lose?

The search I knew how to run would probably be too basic, and I probably wouldn't turn anything up other than what I already knew, but I thought it was worth a shot. I loaded the most current picture I could find of Cat Woman, and set the search to go through all the databases we had access to, VICAP, Interpol, & some military ones. I knew it could possibly take hours, so after starting the search, I went back to researching the case and just left the search running on my computer.

Two hours passed, and I still hadn't made any progress. I was about to get up and go to the break room for more coffee when my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but I answered anyway.

"Yo!"

"Huh? Ummm, is this Stephanie Plum?" the female voice on the other line asked.

"Yes, may I ask who's calling?"

"Oh right, this is Crystal. Isabella's neighbor."

"How are you Crystal?" I asked, hoping she was calling to tell me Isabella was there.

"Well, you asked me to call you if Isabella came home. I'm pretty sure she's over there. The lights are on, and I can hear someone moving around. Do I get a reward or something?"

I rolled my eyes, knowing how she'd use any reward I gave her.

"No, Crystal, I'm sorry, there isn't a reward, but I do thank you for calling and letting me know she was there," I tried to explain.

I heard her sigh. "Fine, then. Whatever," she said before hanging up on me.

I stared at my phone for a second, and then put it down. Well, at least it gave me something to do, even if it didn't get me anywhere. I checked the clock, and saw I had a little over an hour until I was supposed to meet with Carlos and Jeanne Ellen. I thought that would be plenty of time to speak with Isabella and get back to RangeMan, since her house was only about ten minutes away. Maybe I'd have something to tell Jeanne Ellen after we got back. With this thought in mind, I went out to the Comm room and asked where Lester or Bobby were.

"They are out on surveillance this morning, Bomber," Cal told me. "Why, what's up?" he asked, looking entirely too happy.

I looked at him strangely for a few seconds before replying. "I need to go speak to someone about a case I'm working on, and I just got word she's at home. Could you or one of the guys take a ride over to her house with me?" I watched as his smile got wider, and realized why he was so happy.

"Yes, I get off monitors!" He stood up and grabbed a few things, then suddenly came to a stop. "This lady you're going to see... she's not pregnant or anything, is she?"

I managed to control my giggle when I remembered the incident that had him asking me that question. "Not as far as I know," I answered.

He nodded his head. "Good. Let's roll then," he said, heading towards the elevators.

We climbed into his Explorer, and I gave him the address we were going to. The closer we got, the more I knew there was something different about this Isabella, and I thought whatever it was would break this case wide open. The problem was, I wasn't sure it was going to be what I thought I was looking for. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as we pulled up to the duplex. I looked around the neighborhood and didn't see anyone outside or any sign of life inside, for that matter, causing me to think most people that lived in this neighborhood were at work.

I could see the lights on inside the duplex that Isabella lived in, so Cal and I both made our way to the door. Cal was a few feet in front of me, so I almost smacked right into him when he came to an abrupt halt and held up his hand before motioning to the door. I could see that the door was ajar, and there was what appeared to be a blood smear down the side.

I heard myself sigh as Cal and I reached for our guns. Nothing was ever easy when I was involved. We made our way slowly to the porch and took up positions on either side of the door. He signaled that he was going to go in first, securing the right side of the room, and I should follow quickly, securing the other side of the room. I nodded my understanding, and watched as he used his fingers to count down from three.

As soon as he stepped inside, everything went to hell in a handbasket. I watched as Cal entered the room and suddenly collapsed on the floor. From all my previous experiences, I knew he'd been tasered by a man standing right inside the door. I quickly aimed my gun at him, but realized too late that someone was behind me. I felt the jolt from a stun gun go through my body, and managed to get off one shot before collapsing to the floor.

The last thing I remembered was someone yelling, "That stupid bitch shot me!" Then my world faded to black.

**RPOV**

As Tank and I were pulling into the garage, I realized I had about fifteen minutes until Steph and I had to meet with Jeanne Ellen, and I could think of about a thousand different things I could do to Steph in those few minutes. I was in a pretty good mood. Getting out of the office, even if it was just for an install, was like a breath of fresh air.

Tank and I got off the elevator and went our separate ways; Tank to his office, and me to Steph's. I got to her office and was disappointed to find that she wasn't there. I checked the breakroom, but still didn't have any luck. I made my way to the Comm Room and asked Woody if he'd seen her.

"Yeah, she and Cal took off to interview someone a little before 10:00," he told me.

I was disappointed, but guessed it was probably the last Isabella on her list. I knew she was frustrated with her lack of progress on this case. We'd all tried to put feelers out about it, but the only person who even came close to knowing the people that might be involved in this case was Stephanie. I figured she was probably on her way back to the office, so I thought I'd wait for her in my office.

Ten minutes later, she and Cal still weren't back, and I was feeling extremely anxious for some reason. I pulled up the tracker on Cal's Explorer, and saw it was parked on Riverview Avenue. The tracker Steph carried in her purse showed her at 323 Riverview as well. I tried both of their cells, but got no answer. I knew Lester had gone with her yesterday, so I called his cell.

"Yo!"

"What was the address of the Isabella that Steph hadn't talked to yet?" I asked.

"Ummm, it was over on Riverview Avenue. I'm pretty sure it was 323 Riverview. Why?"

"Steph went over there this morning and isn't back yet," I told him.

"Dang, boss, can't go a few hours without getting your Beautiful fix?" he asked, laughing.

I growled, not in the mood for his shit. "No, dickhead. We have a meeting in five minutes. Her tracker says she's at 323 Riverview with Cal, but neither one is answering their phones."

"Fuck. Bobby and I just dropped of the skip we were looking for. We'll head over there now."

"Tank and I will meet you there," I told him before hanging up.

I walked out of my office to look for Tank, but found Jeanne Ellen getting off the elevator. "Jeanne, we're going to need to reschedule," I said.

I attempted to walk around her to Tank's office, but she stepped in front of me. "Why? I was really hoping you had something I could give my contact, because he really thinks this lead should pan out," she remarked shortly.

I didn't have time for this, and I wasn't interested in hearing what she had to say. I had never particularly liked this woman. I knew Steph was under the impression there had been something between us at some point in the past, but there wasn't. I'd never corrected Steph's impression, because the male in me liked that she made Steph jealous. I knew that made me an ass, but there it was. Even if Steph wasn't in the picture outshining her in every way, I still had no interest in Jeanne Ellen. There was something about her that just seemed off, something about her eyes that looked dead, but I'd never cared enough to think about it. I had run a basic search on her a few years ago when she first showed up in Trenton, but didn't find anything worth remembering. "Now is not the time, Jeanne. I'll get back to you later." I glared at her.

"Fine, I'll just meet with Stephanie then, or is she too busy, too?" she asked sharply.

"Steph isn't available right now, either. Now get the fuck out my way." I pushed her aside and yelled for Tank. When he came out of the office, I said, "You're with me." He nodded his head and followed me to the elevator, but not before Jeanne Ellen got in one rub too many for my tastes.

"I knew letting Stephanie be involved in this case was a mistake. She's completely incompetent. She's lucky if she can tell the difference between her ass and a hole in the ground. Hell, she's probably found the girl and is helping her little 'Burg friends keep her hidden," she complained as she stepped beside us to take the elevator down. Tank stiffened, and the atmosphere in the office completely changed.

I heard the whole room go completely silent, and watched as Jeanne Ellen realized her mistake about two seconds too late. I didn't believe in hitting women, but she was stretching my limits.

I stepped closer to her, so that we were standing toe to toe. My voice was barely above a whisper. "You don't know _shit_ about Stephanie, because if you did, you'd know she's just as good at this as you or I. And she is most definitely a better woman than you will ever be. She would never help _anyone_ kidnap a child. She fucking can't even stand the 'Burg.

"I don't care what your personal opinion of her is, but I swear to God, if you ever insult her in my presence again, woman or not, it will be the last thing you do. You need to back the fuck up and get the hell out of my office. We will let you know if we find anything on this case, but once it ends, so does any working relationship we have. Are we clear?" I growled.

She gave me a slight nod.

"Good. Now get the _fuck out_," I demanded, pointing at the open elevator.

I noticed she looked a little pale, and got even more so when she noticed the way the rest of my employees were looking at her. Insulting Stephanie did not sit well with any of us. She was smart enough to keep her mouth shut and step onto the elevator. I was through the doors to the stairs before the elevator doors closed, and I had completely forgotten her by the time I pulled out of the garage.

"Okay, I'm guessing this has to do with Steph, so what's going on?" Tank asked.

I quickly filled him on the situation as we pulled up behind Cal's Explorer. Bobby and Lester were also pulling up as we climbed out of my car. We approached the house slowly, and I quickly noticed blood on the door. I felt my blood turn to ice, and I almost froze, afraid to go any further, but I let my training kick in and attempted to push aside all my personal feelings so that I could focus on doing what needed to be done.

We cautiously entered the room, and after a quick search, found Cal bound and gagged in one of the closets. I also found Steph's purse, gun, and the panic button she had started to carry when she went back into the field. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm as I watched the guys remove Cal's restraints. Stephanie needed me to find her. I took another breath, trying to center myself, before I started questioning Cal.

He was staring at me with a look of terror on his face. "Boss, it was a setup. They were waiting for us. Shit, man, I didn't realize it was a setup until it was too late." I could see the sweat pouring off his forehead, and knew he was terrified I was going to kill him. I admit, I did want to kill someone, but taking it out on Cal wouldn't help. I needed information from him.

I turned to Tank and started barking orders. As he left to call the office and get everyone out in the field looking, Lester and I sat down and starting asking Cal questions, trying to get a feel on who had taken her.

"Walk us through everything that happened today, from the first time you talked to Steph until now," I demanded. I realized he was still terrified I was going to kill him, and knew I had to let him off the hook or he would be useless to me.

"I don't blame you, Cal. This isn't the first time Steph's been kidnapped. I just need you to focus now and answer our questions." I looked at him, hoping I'd gotten through to him, because my patience was wearing very thin. I noticed him relax a little, then he quickly began telling us what he remembered.

He told us everything that happened up to the point where they came to the door and he was hit by the taser. He said he must have hit his head, because he was knocked out for a few seconds, and when he came to, Steph was nowhere in sight. Two guys wearing ski masks were tying him up, and then they put him in the closet. One of them was bitching up a storm that the bitch had shot him and he wasn't able to use his right arm.

So Steph had gotten a shot off. I was proud that she'd put up a good fight. It also gave us a place to start looking. If he was injured enough, he may have to go to the hospital for treatment. I put Bobby in charge of that, and walked over to talk to Lester, who was looking like he had an idea.

"I think we should see if we can get anything from the chick next door. I get the feeling she would pretty much do anything for a fix, so she might have been in on the setup," he told me.

I agreed, and we quickly made our way to her door. Tank took up a position outside the door to make sure we weren't interrupted once inside. When it was apparent she wasn't going to answer, we let ourselves in to find one very stoned girl looking like she was about to lose it. There were at least three eight-balls sitting on the table behind her, and from the looks of things, she might have already gone through one on her own. Fuck, she was lucky she's still breathing.

I stepped to her, but Lester stopped me before I could say anything. I noticed then that she was looking at me, her eyes wide with fear. I admit, I may have been radiating anger, but I only had so much control, and it was quickly slipping away.

"Hi, Crystal. Do you remember me?" Lester asked softly.

Her eyes swung from me over to Lester, and I saw a flicker of recognition. She hadn't stopped pacing back and forth since we walked in the door. She kept making quick swipes at her nose and sniffing. She stopped for a second after Lester spoke to her, and nodded her head before resuming her pacing.

"Do you remember the woman that was with me yesterday?"

She nodded again.

"Did you call her and tell her that Isabella was there?"

"Yeah, that's what the guy told me to say," she answered absentmindedly.

I stiffened, wanting wanted to speak, but Lester waved me off. I bit my tongue and let him continue questioning her.

"What guy, Crystal?"

"I don't know. The guy that came to my door earlier?" she replied, getting agitated.

"Had you seen the guy that came to your door before?" Lester asked, trying to keep her on track.

She made a face. "No, he just told me he needed me to do him a favor, and if I did, I could have the four eight-balls he had with him," she explained.

I noticed that she had started sweating profusely and was getting more upset. She started complaining about it being too cold, and was completely ignoring Lester's questions. When she fell to the ground and started convulsing, both Lester and I did what we could to restrain her without hurting her.

"Tank, I need you to call 911. She's overdosing!" I shouted.

He came in, already on the phone, and quickly assessed the situation. "Get Bobby," I told Lester. He nodded and ran to find him.

By the time Lester made it back with Bobby, she had stopped convulsing, but was rambling incoherently. I let Bobby take over, and stood up to go outside. There wasn't anything else I could do for her, and until she was sober, she wouldn't be able to give me any more answers. My control was hanging on by a thread, and I wasn't sure how much more I could take.

As I walked out of Crystal's duplex, my cell phone rang. I looked down and saw it was the Comm room.

"Yo!'

"Boss, we have a problem," Hal told me.

"Explain," I ordered.

"Zip and Zero just called. They were on Morelli this morning. It appears that either sometime last night or this morning, Joe and Anthony switched places. The guys realized it about two minutes ago when Anthony looked out the window. We no longer have a location on Joe, Boss," he told me tentatively.

"Fuck!" I said as I heard the phone in my hand begin to break from my grip. I turned and threw it against the house, watching it shatter into little pieces. I started beating the shit out of the wall beside me, trying to punish myself for failing her. I was hoping the pain would overshadow the fear I was feeling. I'd promised her he'd never touch her, but it looked like Morelli had somehow managed to get his hands on Steph again.

**TBC...**

**Connie & Jenny are the best! Thanks girls!**


	50. Chapter 50

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**__  
"Boss, we have a problem," Hal told me._

"Explain," I ordered.

"Zip and Zero just called. They were on Morelli this morning. It appears that either sometime last night or this morning, Joe and Anthony switched places. The guys realized it about two minutes ago when Anthony looked out the window. We no longer have a location on Joe, Boss," he told me tentatively.

"Fuck!" I said as I heard the phone in my hand begin to break from my grip. I turned and threw it against the house, watching it shatter into little pieces. I started beating the shit out of the wall beside me, trying to punish myself for failing her. I was hoping the pain would overshadow the fear I was feeling. I'd promised her he'd never touch her, but it looked like Morelli had somehow managed to get his hands on Steph again.

**CHAPTER 50**

**SPOV**

I slowly drifted back to consciousness, trying to figure out why my head felt like it was about to explode. I could hear two voices arguing, but was having trouble following their conversation because my head was so fuzzy. The voices seemed vaguely familiar, but I decided to focus on keeping myself from throwing up, and figuring out where the hell I was and why. It took me a few seconds before I realized the voices I heard were more than vaguely familiar. I recognized both of them.

The anger and fear I felt when I realized who had kidnapped me was quickly banking the fogginess, but I pretended to still be out. I thought maybe I'd pick up some useful information if they thought I was unconscious.

"Those goons drugged her too much. I told them it wasn't necessary once she was in the car, but they didn't listen," he bitched.

"I told them to make sure that she wasn't able to figure out where we were holding her," she explained, sounding like she couldn't care less.

"Well, you need to make it very clear that when it comes to Stephanie, what I say goes," he demanded.

The bored tone of her voice vanished, and was suddenly downright scary. "Don't think that this is all about you and your stupid bitch. I've been planning this for years, and my plan is going quite nicely. Now we just need to let Ranger stew for a little bit before he comes to save his precious Babe. Then you can take her and be on your way." She already sounded bored again.

Shit, this woman was all sorts of nuts if she thought I was going anywhere with Joe Morelli. The fear I felt at being near Joe again was being completely eclipsed by the rage I felt for these two people.

I continued to pretend to be out, but it was getting harder. My nose had started itching, and it was taking all I had not to try and scratch it, let alone not move. Since my hands were handcuffed behind my back, I would have to move my head to the side, and they would definitely see that motion. As far as I could tell, considering I'd only opened my eyes a smidgen, they were both standing about five feet in front of me, in a room that looked pretty empty.

"I know, I know. Then you can have the great Ranger Manoso all to yourself," Joe scoffed. "I really don't see the appeal."

I could barely contain the rage I felt after hearing this last comment about having Ranger all to herself.

"Yes, well, you won't need to worry about it anymore, once you're out of the country. Why don't you go ahead and get the things you need ready, so you can take off first thing in the morning? I have six armed guards keeping an eye on this warehouse, and she's locked inside this room, so she won't be going anywhere," she told Joe.

"Yeah, I do need to take care of a few more things and pick up the forged passports I had made," he conceded.

"Fine, go take care of it. Just be careful. You know RangeMan is in lockdown. I'm sure they have figured out you managed to give your shadows the slip by now, so everyone at RangeMan is gunning for you."

"Yeah, I know. I'm picking them up in Atlantic City. I don't think RangeMan will have anyone looking for me there this soon. I'll never understand how Manoso just throws money away for her. I mean, it isn't like she's even that good in bed."

"Then why the hell do you want her?" she asked.

_Damn good question, dickhead_.

"Because she belongs to me. She was meant to be my wife and have my children. And if that fucker Manoso hadn't stepped in the picture, encouraging her to do a job that she's too stupid and incompetent to do, we'd be married with children on the way. There is no way in hell I'm going to let him win. I'm better than he is," Joe replied.

And that said it all. This had never been about me. It had always been about beating Ranger. What a fucking dick. I couldn't wait to get my hands on his ass.

A few seconds later, I heard a door shut and then a low laugh from inside the room. "My God, that man is a schmuck. How the hell did you spend the past four years with him?" I knew she was looking at me. I could feel her eyes on me. "You can open your eyes, Stephanie. I know you've been listening all this time," she told me.

I opened my eyes and glared at her. "So that's what this is all about, Jeanne Ellen? Getting Carlos all to yourself?" I hissed.

She laughed again, and looked me in the eyes. I stared right back, but was startled by what I saw. I never expected the level of hatred and malevolence that I found there. This was much more than just a jilted lover. I was suddenly a little worried about what she had planned.

"I don't want _Carlos_ all to myself, you stupid bitch. I wouldn't touch him if someone paid me. Joe has no clue what's going on. I'll take care of him tomorrow, when I'm finished with you and Ranger. Right now, he is doing his job, making sure that no one has a clue I'm involved with your kidnapping. Ranger will have all his men out looking for Morelli, and tomorrow, when I call him with a location where he can find you, he'll show up expecting Joe, but instead, he'll get me and my team," she explained.

"Jeanne Ellen..."

"God, I hate that fucking name," she growled.

I looked at her like she might be losing it. "Okay, so what should I call you?"

"Well, I guess I should tell you. That way, you can know the name of the person killing you, right?"

I wasn't sure exactly how to answer that question, so I just figured I'd stay quiet.

"My name is Jenna Leah Buros."

"What about Sophia Mendoza?" I asked, wondering where a missing child fit in all this.

She snorted. "She doesn't exist. I just photo shopped a few pictures together to make sure she would tug at the right heartstrings. Obviously, the resemblance to Ranger's daughter was for Ranger, but I had heard about your affinity for Wonder Woman, and added the shirt and cast for you. You are both completely predictable."

"Then why did you say you didn't want me involved in the case at first?" I asked, confused.

"I wanted to make sure you were as important to him as I thought you were. If he left you out, then I'd fall back on my plan to take RangeMan down, but he didn't, did he?"

"Okay, so if you don't want Carlos for yourself, then what is this all about?" I asked, still trying to understand.

"This is about justice. _Carlos Manoso _took away the only person that ever mattered to me, and he deserves to pay," she said coldly.

I still didn't understand, but I was hoping if I kept questioning her, I'd learn why and how she planned on hurting Carlos. Then I could stop her. "Who did he take from you?" I asked tentatively.

She looked at me for a few seconds, like she was contemplating something, and then sat down on a box directly in front of me.

"Let me tell you a little story, so you know what a bastard the man you claim to love is."

Great. This should be interesting. Oh well, I always did love a good story, even if the resident psycho chick is the one telling it.

"I grew up outside of Atlanta, Georgia. I had a pretty decent life at first. When I was four, my mom had another little girl named Alexi, and things seemed great for about a year. Then my Dad up and left. Evidently, my Mom's drug habit was more than he could handle, and figured Alexi and I weren't worth the trouble. I spent the next fifteen years trying to take care of my sister. My mother had more boyfriends in and out of her bed than I could keep track of. When they got tired of her, they would eventually find their way on top of me. I let them do whatever they wanted, as long as they left Alexi alone. I kept all but one of them off her. She had a rough time after that, but I made sure she got through it."

Damn, she'd had a really harsh life. If she wasn't planning on killing me and Carlos, I could definitely feel sorry for her.

"Alexi was a great kid. She was a little moody, but you couldn't blame her, with the life we'd had. I stuck around until Alexi graduated from high school. As soon as she moved to the dorms, I joined the Army. I knew I would need money to pay for her tuition, and the Army seemed like the best way, since I didn't have any real education. She ended up graduating at the top of her class in Criminal Justice from Emory University."

I could hear the pride in her voice as she spoke about her sister. It was the first time I had seen what could pass for humanity in her since I'd come to. I started to wonder if I wanted to hear the rest of this story.

"She was accepted to the FBI right out of college, and started an extremely promising career as an analyst. Since she was finally making a life for herself, I decided to focus on my training. I helped with a few covert operations in the military, and learned that not only was I a very talented marksmen, but I was also extremely talented in turning myself into whoever I wanted to be. A chameleon, if you like. After my tour in the Army ended, I decided to take advantage of my training and talents and get paid for it. After a few years, I had earned a pretty good reputation for myself." She laughed more to herself than for my benefit.

"Men are idiots. The military doesn't believe that a female can have what it takes to kill someone up close and personal, but honestly, it's much easier for a woman to get close to targets. All of my clients are under the mistaken impression that I'm a man operating under the code name 'Mantis.' If they took some time to think about it, they would know that I chose that code name because of the praying mantis. She bites off the heads of her mates as soon as she's done with them. I operate the same way, for the most part," she explained, obviously proud of the fact that she had fooled so many people.

I still wasn't clear what Carlos had to do with any of this, but the glimpse I was being given into Jenna Leah Buros was starting to get more and more frightening. There was something about the look in her eyes. I was starting to realize it was because she wasn't all there. On a brighter note... Obviously my Spidey sense, which had been going off about her all this time, was right on target. Now if I could just survive this whole ordeal and tell someone.

"I kept my activities completely separate from Alexi. She never had any idea what I did. I told her I was a consultant for the military after my tour was over, and she never gave it a second thought. She knew I traveled the world, and thought it was extremely romantic. That's probably why she agreed to help with the case, even though she wasn't a trained field agent. She never should have been put in a position to work with someone like _Carlos Manoso_," she ground out angrily.

I had kind of lost what she was talking about, but evidently, she knew that, and wanted me to pay attention to the rest of her story, because she picked up the box she was sitting on and threw it into the wall. I watched as it broke into pieces, wondering if I could use them to help get myself out of here.

"I still don't know exactly how she came across the Intel, but while working on a project, she stumbled onto a sex slave ring operating out of the Ukraine. The CIA was already aware of the operation, and had been putting together a mission to send a couple in undercover. When my sister came forward with the information and naive eagerness to help out, the FBI decided to loan her to the CIA to go in with their operative.

"She never should have been on that mission. She wasn't trained, and didn't know how to handle the advances of someone like _Ranger_," she snarled, and started pacing back and forth before continuing with her story.

"They were tasked to go into the Ukraine, posing as a couple with a wide variety of tastes in sex and all that goes along with it. They were supposed to be trying to buy some 'toys' to take back to the States to play with. The mission took five months, and in those five months, Ranger seduced my baby sister and made her fall in love with him. When they got back from the mission, he blew her off like she was nothing. _Nothing_!" she shrieked. "He broke her heart, and didn't even care. The only way she could reach him was through a stupid post office box. He never replied to any of her letters. The first few months after she came back, she did nothing but tell me how wonderful and perfect her fiancé was."

_Fiancé! What?_ Ranger had been engaged before? I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. I tried to take calming breaths. I didn't want Jeanne Ellen, or Jenna, or whoever the hell she was, realizing she was getting to me.

"After about four months, she stopped telling me how wonderful he was, and starting crying about how he had left her and never given any reason why. How he had loved her and didn't want her any longer. She said he just stopped speaking to her, and she couldn't understand why. She spent months trying to talk to him, and he completely ignored her."

This bit of information gave me pause. I knew Carlos pretty well, and although he could occasionally be cold and distant, he would never be cruel. Not to a woman that was in love with him, even if he didn't return that love. I was positive of that. Carlos had had to do some ugly things in his life, simply because it was what needed to be done and he didn't want anyone else to have to do it, but I knew beyond anything, he was a good man, and he would never treat someone the way she was describing. She was leaving something out, I was sure of it.

"Six months after she came back from the mission, I stopped by her apartment, because I hadn't heard from her in a few days. I found her in the bathtub with her wrists slit. It was obvious she had been dead for at least a day, so there was nothing I could do to save her. I found a letter beside her on the counter. It was addressed to Ranger, telling him how he had hurt her, how she couldn't live without him, and how if she couldn't be with him, she didn't have any reason to live. She didn't leave anything for me with an explanation. I spent my life protecting her from the ugliness in the world, and in less than a year, Ranger had taken her away from me." The disgust and anger was evident in her tone.

Okay, I admit that losing her sister was horrible, but I couldn't see how this was Carlos' fault. Alexi chose to take her own life. No matter what Carlos did to her. When it came down to it, that was a decision she'd made herself. It was not Carlos' fault. I mean, look at what the Dick and Joe had put me through. I could definitely say they put me through a lot of shit, but I'd never thought about taking my own life. Even still, _if_ I had, that would have been my fault, not theirs. I didn't think telling her that would win me any points, so I decided to try to stay neutral.

"I'm really sorry you lost your sister that way, but I still don't understand what I have to do with it," I said carefully, even though I had a vague idea where she was going with all of this.

She finally stopped pacing, and looked at me like I was a moron. "I have spent the past ten years waiting for this opportunity. It took me almost two years after Alexi's death to even find the asshole, but I did finally find the great Ranger Manoso. He had just started up RangeMan. At first, I thought I'd do what I did best; seduce him, and then kill him once I got him in bed. But I decided he deserved much worse than that." She started pacing again.

"He needed to suffer the way he'd made me suffer. So I kept an eye on him, waiting for him to let someone get close to him. After a while, I started thinking it would never happen, so I formed another plan. I created Jeanne Ellen when he moved to Trenton. I made her someone he would find attractive and have things in common with. I figured if he wasn't going to let anyone near him, then I'd get close enough to him to ruin the only thing that seemed to matter to him before I killed him."

I raised my eyebrows, not sure what she meant. "I had planned to take down RangeMan, but imagine my surprise when he started watching out for the idiot Bombshell Bounty Hunter." She rolled her eyes.

I took offense at that, and told her so in an annoyed voice.

She stared hard at me. "Please, you are the biggest joke to ever work in the Fugitive Apprehension business. If you didn't have Ranger bailing your ass out all the time, you'd be dead twenty times over," she said.

Okay, maybe that had been true at one point, but it most definitely wasn't anymore, and if this woman thought I'd just roll over and die while she planned to kill the love of my life, she had another thing coming. Obviously, she had completely underestimated me, and that was going to be her biggest mistake. I'd play her game right now. I needed more information from her, and she seemed to have become a chatty Kathy. I think she liked being able to brag to someone about what she has done over the years. Too bad the person she was bragging to couldn't care less.

"So how does Joe fit into your plans? Has he been helping you all along?"

"For the most part. He's been in on it since he got bailed out after attacking you. That fool has the views of a caveman, but he was the perfect patsy. I had him slip the RangeMen a few times. I wanted them to think it was possible he was your stalker of the month, but I basically just used him so that Ranger would focus on looking for him once you were kidnapped, giving me the opportunity to lure him into a trap. Morelli thinks I'm going to let him walk away with you tomorrow so he can start his life of domestic bliss, but I assure you, by this time tomorrow night, he will be just as dead as you and Ranger," she explained calmly.

It seemed like she was getting tired of our conversation, and I only needed to know how much time I had, so I tried to phrase my last question so she wouldn't know I was fishing. "Why wait for tomorrow? Why not just call Carlos and take us both out right now?"

The hatred and craziness that had been simmering below the surface came out clear as day. "I want him to suffer. I want him to worry like I did when my sister didn't answer my phone calls. I want him to see what it feels like to walk in a room and find the person that he loves more than life itself dead, or in your case, dying. I want him to watch you die before I kill him. Joe will be back tomorrow morning, thinking he's going to come take you off to live happily ever after. Before he arrives, I'll have already called Ranger and told him where to find you. Once Joe gets here, I'll take him out after I've taken care of the two of you. And then I'm going to let him watch me kill you right before I finish him off."

She seemed to be finished with the conversation then. "Don't try anything stupid tonight. There will be six guards patrolling the grounds," she told me before she turned off the lights and walked out the door.

I heard the lock click into place, and knew I had only until tomorrow morning to save myself and Carlos.

**TBC...**

**Connie & Jenny, you girls have helped me more than I can explain. Thanks for all your hard work. **


	51. Chapter 51

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**__  
It seemed like she was getting tired of our conversation, and I only needed to know how much time I had, so I tried to phrase my last question so she wouldn't know I was fishing. "Why wait for tomorrow? Why not just call Carlos and take us both out right now?"_

_The hatred and craziness that had been simmering below the surface came out clear as day. "I want him to suffer. I want him to worry like I did when my sister didn't answer my phone calls. I want him to see what it feels like to walk in a room and find the person that he loves more than life itself dead, or in your case, dying. I want him to watch you die before I kill him. Joe will be back tomorrow morning, thinking he's going to come take you off to live happily ever after. Before he arrives, I'll have already called Ranger and told him where to find you. Once Joe gets here, I'll take him out before Ranger arrives. And then I'm going to let him watch me kill you right before I finish him off."_

_She seemed to be finished with the conversation then. "Don't try anything stupid tonight. There will be six guards patrolling the grounds," she told me before she turned off the lights and walked out the door._

_I heard the lock click into place, and knew I had until tomorrow morning to save myself and Carlos._

**CHAPTER 51**

**TPOV**

I watched as my best friend started to melt down before my eyes. I'd gotten a call from Ram right after Ranger answered his phone, telling me Joe had managed to get away, and letting me know Hal was informing Ranger as we spoke.

Ranger didn't even hang the phone up. I heard it start to break under his grip a few seconds before he threw it against the wall. Then I watched as he did what he always did when something went wrong. He punished himself. And this time, he was beating the shit out of a wall.

"What's going on Tank? That's more than just Bombshell getting kidnapped," Lester said as he watched Ranger.

"Morelli managed to get past his guards," I told him, and then nodded for him to follow me.

I heard a muttered, "Well shit," as he fell in line behind me.

We both came up beside Ranger slowly. I knew he was aware we were there, because his body tensed. I figured I'd better step in before he actually did some damage to himself. We didn't have time to take him to the hospital if we were going to focus on finding Morelli and Steph. I decided to do something I rarely do to Ranger, because I have a very good sense of self-preservation, but desperate times and all. I cleared my throat, hoping that would work, but wasn't surprised when it didn't. Well shit...

"_Enough_!" I roared, with a voice very few had heard come out of me. I saved it for special occasions like this one. Every man there immediately stopped doing whatever they were doing and stood at attention. Even Ranger froze and stopped hitting the wall before turning to face me with an eyebrow raised. I knew speaking to Ranger like this was a bad idea, but I wasn't talking to my boss. I was talking to my friend, Carlos, and he needed to reign himself in.

"Are you finished with your little hissy fit? Because we really don't have time for your self-loathing bullshit. You need to pull your head out of your ass and focus on finding Bomber," I told him, slightly annoyed.

"Tank, you are dangerously close to stepping across a line you don't want to cross," he threatened, taking a step closer to me.

I knew it was an empty threat for the time being. He needed me until we found Steph. After that, I may wake up one morning in a third world country, but I'd just have to cross that bridge when I got there. I knew Ranger always needed to be in control, and anytime something bad happened, he blamed himself. Even if God himself couldn't have prevented it, Ranger would still shoulder the blame.

Normally, he could take that guilt and anger and focus it into a productive energy and find a way out of the situation. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case when bad things happened to Stephanie. He often got lost in the guilt and fear and needed someone to pull his head out of his ass for him, and evidently, that was going to be my job today.

"Well, you can school me about that line after we get Bomber back. I know you're worried about Morelli having her, but you need to remember, this is not the same Stephanie Plum that Joe Morelli attacked the last time. This Stephanie Plum is a level four blue belt in Krav Maga. Which, in case you can't remember, is pretty damn impressive. She can get out of handcuffs in less than thirty seconds. And she can damn near kick all our asses. She can take care of herself. I'm not saying she doesn't need our help, but she's not helpless, and you beating the shit out of a wall is not going to get her back," I told him roughly.

He continued to stare me down for a few more seconds, before finally giving me an almost nod. I could practically see his control snapping back into place, and the fear and the anger being reeled back in. Thank Christ, I thought. Ranger Manoso is a very scary man when he's in control, and even scarier when he's not.

I let out the breath I'd been holding, thinking it was possibly my last, and focused my attention on Ranger. "Do you need Bobby to look at your hands?" I asked.

He just shook his head no, so I continued on like nothing had happened.

"So what's the plan?" I asked, letting him take back control of things.

**RPOV**

"So what's the plan?" Tank asked.

I knew I was going to owe him for this later, but I didn't have time to think about it now. He was right. This wasn't the same Stephanie. She could more than handle herself. I had to trust her to keep herself safe until I could find her, and then I could kill Morelli like I should have done the night he attacked her.

"I want everyone we have out on the streets. Obviously, someone needs to focus on Morelli and the people he associates with. For the most part, the police force is shunning him, so reach out to them and see if they know anything and can help. Try Eddie or Carl first. They are both friends with Steph, and they have both made it clear they want nothing to do with the Morellis. I want everyone else to think a little wider." I paused for a second, and they looked at me questioningly.

Something just wasn't right. Yes, he had gotten away from us a few times since we'd been tailing him, but the actual times that the stalker struck, we had proof it wasn't him. Of course, it was possible that her stalker had nothing to do with this kidnapping, but for some reason, I didn't think so. I have always thought Morelli had _something_ to do with the stalking incidents, even if it wasn't him. That would mean that he had an accomplice, but who? We'd exhausted all possibilities, I thought.

"There is something off about this. If Morelli has her, then he had to have help. Obviously he had at least two guys with him if he took her, but I'm inclined to think that they were just muscle. I think the Wizard is still behind the curtain, and Morelli and his muscle are the puppets," I tried to explain.

"You got a reason to think this? Somewhere to start?" Lester asked.

"No, just a feeling," I told them.

They looked at me for a split second. "Good enough for me," Tank said and headed off to make my orders happen.

I looked around and realized that my guys were here processing the scene. I hadn't even noticed when they had arrived. I needed to get my head in the game. This was what I did; if I couldn't save the person that meant the most to me in the world, then all my training, blood, sweat, and tears will have been a complete waste.

I watched as the ambulance that was carrying Crystal pulled away. I turned and looked for Bobby, and saw he was headed my way.

"I think she's going to make it, but she's probably not going to be of any use to us before tomorrow. Even then, there's no guarantee she's going to remember anything. That poor girl has a very serious problem," he told me, shaking his head.

I was frustrated, but I didn't expect anything else. "All right. I'm going to head back to RangeMan. You take Cal back to the office. Make sure he gets some rest; they tazed him a few times, and you can tell he's a little shaky still. If he argues, tell him he can either help out after he's rested, or he's fired. His choice. I don't have time for any shit right now," I told Bobby.

"Will do. You need to clean your hands up. We don't have time for you to get an infection," he scolded. I swear I about rolled my eyes, but I managed to stop myself.

"Fine," I replied crisply.

I motioned for Tank and Lester. "Tank, you're with me. Les, stay here with the guys, have them finish processing everything, and then have them all out on the streets working their contacts. As of right now, we focus on nothing but finding Stephanie. Are we clear?" I demanded.

They both acknowledged my command with a nod. Tank followed me to my truck and climbed in, making the drive back to RangeMan in complete silence. When we got out of the car, Tank finally spoke up. "You know, if Joe doesn't show up for the first day of his trial tomorrow, he'll be FTA, and we'll be given the papers to pick him up. I'm going to call his bond company and tell them the situation, and have them be ready to fax us the papers as soon as he doesn't show tomorrow. You might want to call the D.A. and fill him in on what's going on," he told me.

"Yeah, I'll take care of it. I'll call her Dad, too." That was not a phone call I was looking forward to. I had to tell a man I respected and admired that I had once again failed his daughter.

I spent the next twelve hours doing any and everything I could think of to try and find Steph or Morelli, but I couldn't find one single lead. Her Dad had been more understanding than I deserved, telling me it wasn't my fault. He came over to RangeMan and immediately started helping in the search, but no one could find anything. I was more than convinced that not only was Joe not working alone, but that he hadn't even planned the kidnapping. I just wasn't sure where I needed to look.

I was frustrated, tired, and scared shitless. The control I was fighting to hang onto was quickly slipping away, and the adrenaline I was running on was running out. I wanted to be near Stephanie for a few minutes, somewhere I could try and center myself, but the apartment was too far away from where I needed to be. I decided to go to her office instead. I walked into the office, smelled her lingering scent, and immediately felt a little better. I walked around her desk and sat down in her chair, accidentally knocking off her mouse and bringing her computer back from sleep mode. I stared at it for a second in shock. Stephanie had solved her own kidnapping.

"Well, fuck me!" I said to no one in particular. I stared at her screen for a few more seconds, wrapping my head around the fact that Stephanie's instincts seemed to even dwarf my own. On her screen, I saw Jeanne Ellen Burrows staring back at me. The photograph was at least ten years old, and it was an Army photo that listed her name as Jeanna Leah Buros. I had never seen a picture of her until now, but I immediately knew who she was. This was Alexi Buros' sister.

I logged onto a few military databases that only I had access to and starting a search on her, but I knew they would take time. As I waited for my searches to run, I thought back almost eleven years. I had finished my training with Delta Force, and had just returned from the mission in Columbia. Because of my success in Columbia, I had been tasked to work my first job for the CIA. I was supposed to go undercover with an agent from the FBI to take down a sex slave ring. The mission had gone off like clockwork, but the fallout after the mission was what turned into a cluster fuck.

I was brought from my musings by a knock on the door. I looked up and saw Ella wheeling a cart of food in, followed by Frank and Tank. I looked at them, and Tank knew immediately that I had something. "What?" he asked, confused.

"Stephanie was right. All this time, she said something was off about Jeanne Ellen. She was right, and she found out exactly what it was," I explained as I turned the monitor around so that they could see the picture of Jenna Leah Buros.

Tank and Frank looked at the picture and back at me, not sure what I was talking about. "Call Les and Bobby in here, and have the men focus on finding everything they can on Jeanne Ellen Burros, Jenna Leah Buros, and an Alexi Elena Buros," I ordered Tank. He turned and left the office immediately. I stared at the picture for a few more seconds, trying to make sense of everything.

"I take it you know this woman?" Frank asked, indicating the picture on the screen.

"No, I never met her as Jenna Buros, but I am responsible for the death of her sister," I told him solemnly. He didn't say anything else. He just sat down and started making himself a sandwich off the tray in front of him. I grabbed one for myself, quickly scarfing it down while waiting for most of my core team to return. The only other member not present would be back in my arms soon. I was sure of it, because no other outcome was acceptable.

Bobby, Lester, and Tank all followed Frank's lead and grabbed some food before sitting down and letting me take over. I only wanted to go through this story once, and I didn't think anyone but these four men needed this information.

"I'm going to give you the Reader's Digest version, because now that we have a lead, I really want to focus on it," I explained. "A little over ten years ago, right after I finished Delta training and returned from Columbia, I was tasked to infiltrate a sex slave ring in the Ukraine for the CIA. The details don't matter, but I was partnered with an agent from the FBI. Her name was Alexi Buros. I didn't know until we had already begun the mission that she had very minimal field training. I was unhappy about it, but as you know, there was nothing I could do."

They all acknowledged that sometimes the brass were complete idiots.

"About three weeks into the mission, Alexi started making advances towards me. I had just finalized my divorce with Rachel and given up custody of my daughter, and after that I'd promised myself no more relationships. That was my plan when we started the mission, and when Alexi started coming onto me, I made it _very_ clear that I wasn't interested. I told her my stance on relationships, that I was only interested in sexual relationships with no strings attached, and since I doubted that was what she was looking for, we should just keep it professional." I looked at Frank, hoping he knew I wasn't the same man today that I was back then.

His face softened a little, and he alleviated my fears. "I was young once, too, Carlos. I know that's not who you are now. If it was, my daughter would never have looked at you twice," he told me.

Relieved that he understood, I continued my story. "Alexi assured me she was fine with that. She explained she wasn't looking for a serious relationship either. Being the arrogant prick I was, I took her at her word and began a sexual relationship with her. I was so blind, thinking that she felt the same way, that I didn't realize my mistake until five months later when the mission was over." I shifted uncomfortably, still feeling the guilt of what had happened.

"The last day we were debriefed, Alexi asked to speak to me privately. I was leaving the next day to visit my grandmother in Florida, knowing that I was shipping out in two weeks for the mission we did in Sudan. I agreed to meet with her, thinking she was looking for one last hurrah. Instead, she told me she was in love with me, and had been all along. She was positive that after all the time we'd spent together, I felt the same way."

I cleared my throat, trying to forget how much pain I'd seen in her eyes when I told her the truth. "I actually tried to let her down easy; she was a sweet, albeit naïve, girl, and I didn't want to intentionally hurt her. I just didn't have the same feelings, and I knew I'd be leaving on a mission that could last for over a year. I explained to her that my stance on relationships hadn't changed, and that I didn't feel that way about her. I even apologized for hurting her, but there wasn't anything else I could do.

"I left the next day for Florida, and then met up with you guys for the mission two weeks later. As bad as it sounds, I didn't give her another thought. We got back from the mission eight months later, and I went to check my mail. While we were doing missions, I kept a post office box in Washington for years, so my family and friends could reach me if I was available. Somehow, she had gotten that address, and when I went to pick up my mail, they handed me a box full of letters from her. I read the first few and saw that they were mostly her telling me she loved me and wanted a life with me. I was going to just throw them all away, but I noticed the post dates and realized that she had sent me letters every day for two months straight, but they had suddenly stopped coming two months before our return.

"For some reason, I picked up the last letter and read it. It was almost four pages long, and I can still remember almost every word." I shook my head. They didn't need to hear all the details. "Basically, it said if I didn't contact her, she was going to kill herself. Like I said, she was a sweet girl, and I never wanted anything like that to happen because of me, so I reached out to the man that was our handler for the Ukraine mission, seeing if he could contact her, but he was out of the country. After a few weeks of searching, I finally found her obituary. She had killed herself less than a week after she sent the last letter.

"I felt horrible, and tried to find a family member that I could contact, to see if there was anything I could do. I'm not sure what I would have done, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. I spent a few months digging, but all I could find was a death certificate for her mother, saying she'd died of an overdose almost two years before. The next of kin listed in her FBI paperwork was Jenna Leah Buros, sister. I never was able to find her sister, but it would appear that she found me," I said.

"So you think that Jeanne Ellen, or Jenna, or whatever the hell her name is, blames you?" Tank asked uncertainly.

I sighed before I told them the final part of the story. "A few years later, I was down in Dalton, Georgia, which was the tiny town they'd grown up in outside of Atlanta. I was meeting a former commander, and was sitting at a bar waiting for him when I saw a picture of Alexi with a bunch of girls around her on the wall behind the bar. I asked about it, and was directed to the owner of the bar. She told me she'd been Alexi's best friend growing up. I spent a good hour asking questions, and I found out a lot."

"Turns out Alexi and her sister had been severely abused. Her sister did what she could to keep the men that were in her mother's life off of Alexi, by letting them abuse her instead, but she could only do so much. Alexi seemed to have a few emotional problems in high school, but they came to a head in college. Evidently, when she was in college, she dated a boy for a few months and attempted suicide when he left her, but her sister was able to stop her and get her some help. The bar owner told me that Alexi's sister had brought her back to Dalton to bury her, and at the funeral, told anyone that would listen that her sister died because of a Ricardo Manoso; if it was the last thing she ever did, she'd get even," I finished.

"Why didn't you check into it anymore if she'd threatened you?"

"Honestly, I felt like shit about the whole situation, and I thought she was just a sister looking for someone to blame. I was okay if blaming me made it easier, because in some ways, I was to blame. I never thought this could possibly come back to hurt me, and most definitely not hurt Stephanie," I said, feeling somewhat defeated that I had been so careless.

The room fell into silence for a minute before Frank spoke up. "Carlos, you may be to blame for breaking the girl's heart, but you most certainly aren't to blame for her death. She chose to take her own life," he told me.

I tried to explain that she'd had a rough childhood and I'd taken advantage of her, but he stopped me. "Carlos, you made it perfectly clear where you stood. If you had lied to her or lead her on, then _maybe_ I could understand some of your guilt, but the only person responsible for her death is her. Lots of people have bad childhoods or have their heart broken and they don't end up killing themselves." He stared at me for a few beats, making me wonder how much he really knew about me.

"Well, I guess the intel you got from your junky informant makes a little more sense now," Tank told Bobby.

I raised my eyebrow, wondering why I hadn't been informed. "Explain?"

"I was coming to look for you when Tank found me. I told him that one of my informants had seen someone he was positive was Joe Morelli meeting with a woman matching Jeanne Ellen's description. I didn't think it made much sense, but I guess he wasn't as out of it as I thought," Bobby answered.

I nodded my head in understanding. "The question is, how does this new information help us?" Lester asked.

**TBC...**

**As always thank you to Connie & Jenny for helping me make my story a reality. If not for them, I'd have thrown in the towel about half way through. **


	52. Chapter 52

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

_**Previously:**_

_I tried to explain that she'd had a rough childhood and I'd taken advantage of her, but he stopped me. "Carlos, you made it perfectly clear where you stood. If you had lied to her or lead her on, then maybe I could understand some of your guilt, but the only person responsible for her death is her. Lots of people have bad childhoods or have their heart broken and they don't end up killing themselves." He stared at me for a few beats, making me wonder how much he really knew about me._

_"Well, I guess the intel you got from your junky informant makes a little more sense now," Tank told Bobby._

_I raised my eyebrow, wondering why I hadn't been informed. "Explain?"_

_"I was coming to look for you when Tank found me. I told him that one of my informants had seen someone he was positive was Joe Morelli meeting with a woman matching Jeanne Ellen's discription. I didn't think it made much sense, but I guess he wasn't as out of it as I thought," Bobby answered._

_I nodded my head in understanding. "The question is, how does this new information help us?" Lester asked  
_

**CHAPTER 52**

**SPOV**

As soon as Jeanne Ellen, I mean Jenna, oh hell... the resident psycho bitch locked the door, I started working on my cuffs. Bobby and Lester had drilled it into my head to always have a bobby pin or a paper clip in my back pocket, and for once, something had stuck. I waited until I was alone, because I didn't want to risk them seeing it. It took me a few more tries than normal, but I still managed to have myself out of the cuffs in about a minute.

Once I was free, I stood up and was immediately light headed. I figured it was just the drugs, and hoped they worked their way out of my system sooner rather than later. I walked around the basically empty room, trying to find a way out. From what I could tell, I was in some sort of storage room in a warehouse. The room itself was about sixty feet square, the ceilings were almost thirty feet above me, and there were maybe three or four empty boxes on the ground, along with the chair they had me in.

I could see that the ceiling had a few vents, but without anything to climb, I wasn't going to be making it out of them tonight. The vents were the only place light was filtering into the empty warehouse, and I could tell it was almost dark out. I knew that meant I wouldn't be able to see much until morning. I inspected the door, hoping I'd be able to pick the lock and escape, but unfortunately, there was no lock on the inside, and I could find no other way to get out. I was disappointed, but I most definitely wasn't ready to throw in the towel.

The guys had taught me that sometimes I had to be patient and wait for the right moment. It looked like this was going to be one of those times. I would have to wait until Joe came back in the morning, and take him down when he came inside to get me. I tried to figure out a way to ambush him when he walked in the door, but because the door was up a few stairs with railings on both sides, there was nowhere I could hide and take him by surprise.

My plan decided, I took advantage of the last rays of light that filtered through the vents and found a few weapons. There was a rusted pipe inside one of the boxes, and I also grabbed a few pieces of the box that the resident psycho bitch had broken earlier.

Once I had a few things to use as weapons, I tried to make myself as comfortable as possible. I spent the next hour going over things I could do to Joe once I got my hands on him. When that got boring, I started thinking about Carlos. I was sure he was doing everything he could do to find me, but for the first time ever, I hoped he didn't succeed. I didn't want him showing up without knowing the players. I definitely didn't want him showing up and Jeanne Ellen actually succeeding in her plan.

I thought about everything I'd been through in the past year, and was surprised to realize that none of it seemed that bad with Carlos beside me. I had definitely changed into a better me in the past year, and I was damn proud of all I'd done. It hit me that although I was currently bored senseless, I was completely calm. Evidently knowing I could take care of myself really made a difference. I had a plan, and I didn't even question whether it would work. I knew it would, because Joe and the psycho bitch hadn't taken me into account. I wasn't the same bumbling Stephanie Plum. This was the new and improved version, and she was ready to kick some ass... as soon as Joe opened the freakin door.

Uggghh... Where the hell do Carlos and the Merry Men find their zones, because I could sure use one right now. This was going to quite possibly be the most boring kidnapping I've ever been on if I had to sit here all night and amuse myself. I sighed in frustration, and started singing Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer.

I'd reached 4,500 beers and gotten in a few cat naps by the time light started to filter into the warehouse. I figured Joe would be here shortly, so I quickly got up and did a few stretches to get the kinks out, and sat back down in the chair they'd had me cuffed to. The pipe was in my hands behind my back, and the pieces of wood were close enough that I could get to them.

Boy, did I have to pee. I hoped they got on with it already, because I was afraid I might embarrass myself if I had to wait too long. I quickly realized thinking about peeing was not helping the matter, so I reverted back to what I would now call my favorite past time, that didn't have to do with Carlos: thinking of ways to hurt Joe.

About an hour after I had gotten into position, I heard a key being put in the lock. I couldn't stop the smile that slowly spread across my face. I couldn't wait to show Joe everything the Merry Men had taught me. The ass beating I gave him today was going to make what he did to me look like child's play. Bring it on, Joe! Let the games begin.

**RPOV**

After I told the guys my story, we all headed our separate ways to find out more information. Frank and I focused on our military contacts, while the guys focused on their street contacts. I let Frank read the information the General had given me on Mantis, explaining my suspicions. Technically, I should have gotten Frank clearance to read the file, but I couldn't give two shits about protocol. If Jeanne Ellen/Jenna...oh hell, the resident psycho bitch, was Mantis, we needed to be prepared. If she was the person that had assassinated almost twenty high profile targets in the past ten years, then she was a force to be reckoned with, and I didn't want to go in unprepared.

It was a little after 8:30 am, and Frank, Tank, Bobby, and Lester were all in my office going over the information we'd managed to dig up. We'd found three locations that seemed like they might be where Steph was being held. One was an abandon building on Stark Street that had recently been leased to The Joe Miller Shop. Lester picked up that it was an anagram of Joseph Morelli. The other was a condemned house just outside of the 'Burg, recently purchased by J.A.M. & Co. I honestly didn't think we would find Stephanie at either location, but I wasn't going to ignore them, either.

The final location was the one I thought we'd find her at. It was a warehouse down by the pier owned by a Seer, Inc. I dug as far as I could trying to find info on Seer, Inc, but there wasn't much there. Most people don't know that Mantis comes from the Greek word seer, or prophet. Something was telling me this would be where Jeanne Ellen wanted to keep her. She would never expect us to find her under something she associated with her professional moniker, because she would never expect us to know who she really was.

We sent a few guys for recon, and all three locations seemed to show signs of life, but only the warehouse had armed guards visible. I had just finished explaining everything to the guys, and we began discussing who would be sent to each location and what we needed to be ready for, when someone knocked on the door.

"Enter!" I barked.

"Boss, we just got the papers on Morelli. He's officially FTA, and we have the go ahead to take him out...I mean in, when we find him," Ram told me.

I nodded my head and had him leave the papers on my desk. The D.A had called me shortly after 8:00, telling me what we already suspected, that Joe had missed his court date. So I wasn't surprised when Ram gave us the paperwork. I was torn between whether I wanted to take him down and have him end up locked in jail, which was never a good thing for an ex cop, or if I just wanted to take him out myself, so Steph never had to worry about him again.

I was brought out of my thoughts when Ram came back in the room, looking like the cat that ate the canary. "You're never going to believe who's holding on line one for you, to give you a tip on where Morelli's got Bomber," he told me, shaking his head.

I raised my eyebrow, thinking it couldn't be who I thought.

Ram shook his head. "Jeanne Ellen. She says one of her informants told her where Morelli is holding Bomber, but she will only talk to you." He gave me an evil grin.

Un-fucking-believable. The stupid bitch was way too sure of herself. I realized that she had obviously underestimated Stephanie, and that it would definitely work to our advantage. I carefully schooled my voice, so as not to reflect the rage I felt towards her. "Jeanne Ellen? Ram says you have some information?" I asked after putting her on speaker phone.

"Yes, Ranger. After I left yesterday, I heard Morelli had taken Stephanie. I'm so sorry I was so callus when you said we'd have to reschedule. As soon as I realized what was going on, I knew I had to try and help you," she explained sweetly. It took all I could do not to roll my eyes, but Lester wasn't able to stop himself.

"That's great, Jeanne. Did you find anything? Because for the most part, we've come up blank," I lied.

"Actually, I got a call from an informant this morning, saying he saw Joe Morelli going into a warehouse down by the pier." She rattled off the address to the warehouse that was owned by Seer, Inc.

Gotcha.

It took every ounce of my training to do what I had to do next. "Thanks, Jeanne Ellen. I owe you one," I told her, biting back the growl that threatened to escape. I didn't want to tip her off that we were on to her.

"No problem, Ranger. It's the least I could do," she finished, trying to sound sweet. She failed miserably. I quickly disconnected the call and turned to my men.

"Looks like she's setting the trap at the warehouse. Get all the men locked and loaded. I want everyone in the conference room, ready to roll, in fifteen minutes," I barked, and watched as my men filed out the door, leaving just Frank and me.

"I want in on this! You need to focus on Jeanne Ellen, or whatever the hell her name is, and I will focus on Morelli," Frank told me coldly.

I nodded my head in understanding. I really wanted to be the one to take Morelli down, but I would need to focus on the bigger threat first, which might give Morelli the chance to slip through my fingers. "That's fine. Go find Tank. He'll get you equipped with everything you'll need. I'll have Hal and Woody with you as backup."

He nodded his head, then turned and left the room. I took a few seconds to get myself together, before I left my office to bring my Babe home.

**JPOV**

Damn my back hurt, and so did my head. Maybe that last Jack and Coke was a mistake. And this damn underwear was driving me insane. I couldn't believe this was the only clean pair I could find. As soon as Steph and I were out of the state, I was definitely stopping and buying new ones. I'd had to spend the night in the van I'd borrowed from my cousin. I just couldn't run the risk of being seen after I got back from Atlantic City with our passports. I couldn't wait for this morning to get here, though. Jeanne Ellen thought I'd stuck around today because she'd told me to, but I just let her think that. No woman can make me do something I don't want to do. I stuck around because I planned to take Manoso out.

I didn't want Stephanie to be under the false impression that her knight in shining armor was coming for her. I wanted her to know that she was mine. She was mine from the first time I fingered her when I was eight, and I'd made it official the day I took her virginity. She should be thanking me for picking her, to be honest. There had been women lined up to warm my bed for years, and she was the one, I decided, that got to marry me and bear my children.

She should be kissing my ass for giving her that opportunity, but instead, she decided to become a bounty hunter. What a fucking joke. She was useless, and couldn't find a skip on her own if he cuffed himself and handed himself over to her. She's tried to throw it in my face that she's the one that proved my innocence, but she's wrong. If I hadn't helped her the whole way, she'd never have proven anything. If I'd wanted to prove my innocence, it would have been easy, but I felt sorry for her, so I let her think she'd done it herself.

Now she was going to pay me back for all the times I've helped her. I kept her out of jail when she was a suspect in the murder of her ex and his partner. I mean, I knew he was alive and all, but there was no reason to tell her. If she'd just kept her nose out of it, she would never have gotten caught in the warehouse fire. And I don't even want to think about the time she almost ruined my entire case trying to find my cousin, Kenny. That stupid little bitch almost ruined my career, and it was time she paid me back for all the trouble she has caused me.

She was going to go to Mexico with me and marry me as soon as we got there. I planned to have my first son by this time next year, so we'd have to get to work on that first thing. I was going to finish what I'd started before Manoso interrupted us, and she would love every second of it. Once we were in Mexico, I'd even teach Steph to be more adventurous in bed, because right now, she was a bit of a bore. Every woman I'd ever been with has told me how amazing I was in the sack, and I knew Steph felt the same way, so after she got Manoso out of her head, we'd make the perfect family.

I walked by two of the guards Jeanne Ellen had hired, and nodded to them. I started smiling to myself when I unlocked the door to the warehouse. Cupcake and I were going to have the happily ever after we'd always dreamed about.

I saw her sitting in the chair we'd left her in, and almost rolled my eyes. You'd think after all these years, she'd have learned something, but obviously, she was too stupid. As soon as she saw me, she started to smile.

"Hey, Cupcake. You ready to start our new life together?"

**TBC...**

**Thanks Connie & Jenny! You girls are the best! It's almost over only two chapters to go.**


	53. Chapter 53

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

**CHAPTER 53**

**SPOV**

"Hey, Cupcake. You ready to start our new life together?" Joe asked, smiling. Was he serious? Did he honestly think I would just roll over and become some Zombie 'Burg wife now that he had kidnapped me? This idiot had way more than just a few screws loose. I was starting to wonder if he had any screws left. I needed him to come a little closer before I could take him down, though, so I played along, knowing his ego was too big to ever think I was planning on trying to save myself.

"You know, Joe, maybe I am. I mean, I'm completely fed up with living in the 'Burg, but now that you want to take me away from here, I'm kind of looking forward to it," I told him, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. I only needed him to take a few more steps, and he'd be exactly where I wanted him. Damn, even from this distance, he reeked of alcohol. That just made me smile wider. What a _moron_.

"I knew you'd come to your senses, Cupcake. It's about time you remembered who you belong to. We both know you've been mine since I fingered you in my parents' garage," he said, stopping right where I wanted him.

I cocked my head to the side a little and just looked at him for a second. I wonder if I'd ever really known Joseph Morelli. I thought I'd be sad to realize that he had fallen victim to the Morelli genes, but I couldn't seem to find it in me to give a shit. He had almost killed me, and had caused me to live in fear of him for almost a year. That was going to come to an end here and now.

"You know, you're right. Why don't you let me show you exactly how much I appreciate everything you've ever done to me," I told him coldly, but before he had a chance to register my change in attitude, I quickly swung the pipe in my hand around in a sweeping arc, catching him in his temple. He fell back a little, stunned, but was still able to reach for his gun.

When he finally got his senses together, I saw the rage that had been festering below the surface quickly boil over.

"You stupid cunt. I'll make you pay for that," he sneered, raising his gun at me.

I quickly grabbed the wrist holding the gun with my free hand, pushing it down and away from me as he pulled the trigger, missing me by a mile. I swung the pipe I was holding into his ribs knocking his breath out of him. Before he had a chance to recover, I swung the pipe above my head, landing it above where I held his wrist, causing him to drop his gun. I kicked it across the warehouse, far out of his reach. I wanted to kick his ass. I could shoot him later.

He glared at me for a second. "Well, well, so you got a little lucky, but you know you don't stand a chance against me. The only thing you're doing right now is making sure I have to punish you even more than I'd already planned to once we get to Mexico. Why don't you just drop the pipe and get ready to leave, and maybe I'll forgive you. I mean, let's be honest, Cupcake, I already beat your ass once. Do you really want to see how much more damage I can do?" he sneered.

I rolled my eyes and grinned at him, motioning for him to bring it on. I was beyond ready to kick Joe Morelli's ass. He lunged forward, going for the pipe. We wrestled with it for a few seconds before it went flying out of my hands and rolled across the room to the far corner. Oh well, looked like I'd be kicking his ass with my bare hands. That worked for me.

"You know, Joe, it takes a hell of a man to be proud of molesting a six year old," I taunted. I delivered a quick elbow jab to his face, causing his eyebrow to split. Huh, now he has a matched set, one for each eyebrow.

He growled and tried to drop back into a boxer's stance, but he was obviously out of practice, and not to mention a bit too intoxicated.

I continued thinking about all the shit he'd done to me. "And you were obviously proud of taking my virginity and leaving me on the bakery floor without a second glance, considering you bragged about it on every bathroom wall you could find, you prick," I spat, quickly delivering a couple of quick jabs to his stomach, causing him to bend slightly and give me the opening for a perfect kidney shot. I felt a shot of satisfaction when he gasped in pain. I wonder if it was wrong that I was in enjoying this so much? Probably, Oh well...

"Cupcake, I told you already, you're mine. And this is just a waste of time. You know you can't take me," he told me confidently, even though he was gasping for breath, and I hadn't even broken a sweat.

I actually laughed. "Really, Joe? because so far you haven't even landed a punch."

"Stephanie, don't be difficult. You are coming with me to Mexico, and it's time you accepted that," he told me, getting angrier by the second.

I couldn't help the evil little chuckle that escaped. My God, this man was an ass. "Oh, yea? Make me," I taunted, grinning.

Evidently, that was the figurative straw that broke the camel's back, because he let out a loud roar and charged me. At that moment, all the months of training with the Merry Men kicked in, and I did exactly as I was taught. I went with the fall and planted my right foot on his left thigh. Using my leg and Joe's momentum against him, I sent him flying over me, but we were both up circling each other immediately.

He came at me again, throwing punches in rapid succession. I did my best to deflect them, but he managed to land a few. The last one he landed had me stumbling backwards to regain my balance. I reached up and wiped my lip as I dropped back into my fighting stance and saw blood on my hand when I took it away. I didn't really think much of it, but evidently Joe thought it would be enough to have me roll over and kiss his ass.

"Are you ready to stop wasting our time, Cupcake? It's time for you to accept your fate. You belong with me, and I can't wait to show you over and over again exactly how you belong to me. The boys have really missed you," he told me confidently.

"Wasting time? I'm enjoying kicking your ass way too much to consider it a waste of time," I replied snidely.

He quickly lunged at me and got both hands around my neck in a choke hold. I froze for a second, flashing back to the first time he'd attacked me in my apartment. Lucky for me, my responses had become automatic, and my hands quickly came up, covering his arms and pulling down, while I put all of my strength into the kick I delivered between his legs, nailing his boys. He released my throat quickly, and fell to the ground, gasping in pain.

"_The boys_ should know that that's the last they will _ever_ be hearing from me," I spat with satisfaction. I knew I could end it right then, but I wasn't ready for it to be over. He had almost killed me, and I wanted to hurt him because of it. By the time I was done with him he'd be pissing blood for a month, if he lives that long. He slowly stood up and squared his shoulders towards me.

"That wasn't very nice, Cupcake," he sneered, as he stalked towards me.

I just snorted. He didn't have his arms up to defend himself, so I went in low, faking a jab to his stomach. Instead, I brought both fists up and slammed them into his throat, causing him to choke and double over. I took advantage of his position and delivered a high kick to his rib cage, making him stumble to the side as he tried to take a breath and stay on his feet.

I toyed with him for a few more minutes before I decided I'd had enough. I needed to find Jeanne Ellen, and to tell the truth, fighting Joe was getting boring. Joe had a busted lip. His eyebrow was split, and if the way he was holding his side was any indicator, I'd say he had a few bruised, if not cracked, ribs. Looking at him battered and bruised, I realized that all the fear I'd felt for him was pointless. I was relatively unscathed, and could even go quite a few more rounds without any problem. It was amazing how much of an edge I had over him with my training. Guess Joe wasn't the badass I'd always believed. He was nothing more than an overgrown bully full of a lot of hot air. He had no power over me. And this bully was going down.

"Cupcake, I've been taking it easy on you because I don't want to hurt you. We need to leave for Mexico, and I can't spend the whole trip trying to keep you alive, when I need to be driving. This is your last chance," he told me malevolently, obviously still delusional enough to believe he had the power to force me to go with him.

"Oh please, Joe. Val did more damage to me when we were kids than you have today," I told him with an eye roll.

I looked at this man in front of me and wondered what the hell I had ever seen in him. Why had I ever let him back into my life after I had proven his innocence? He had treated me like shit my entire life, and I had wasted four years of my life with him, instead of spending them with Carlos. I was suddenly and instantly enraged when I realized how stupid I had been and how much time I had wasted. I focused every ounce of rage I was feeling at the man standing in front of me. It was time for him to understand how things were going to be.

My voice dropped to barely above a whisper, but the anger and coldness in it was unmistakable. "Let me make something very clear to you, Morelli. I would rather die than waste another hour of my life with you, so there is no way in _hell_ I am going to spend a lifetime with you in Mexico," I swore to him. "Do you realize that even before you tried to kill me, the thought of marrying you and raising Morelli spawn was quite literally my idea of hell?" I asked him calmly, while I circled him, looking for an opening.

The rage and anger I felt was completely focused, and I could feel it coursing through my body. "Back then, I was too insecure to stand up to you, my mother, and the 'Burg, but that was a long time ago. I've changed. I'm not the same weak, insecure Stephanie that you've spent your life taking advantage of. Thanks to Carlos and my real friends and family, I've turned into the Stephanie Plum that I was meant to be. And do you want to know the most ironic thing?" I asked, surprised at how true my next words were.

"What's that, Cupcake?" he sneered as he spat blood out of his mouth and watched me circle him.

"The idea of marrying Carlos and having his children is my idea of heaven," I said with a smile. I noticed his whole body tense up, and his eyes darkened even more. "I guess the thing I never wanted was you," I told him, smiling wider.

When my words registered with Joe, I could feel the anger rolling off of him, but I also saw him drop his guard enough to give me the opening I needed. Obviously, Joe still had no faith in my skills and was seriously underestimating me. As he tried to throw a weak punch with his right arm, I grabbed it and pulled him towards me, throwing a hard left jab into his cheekbone. Before he could regain his balance, I continued my assault with a painful kick to his liver. As soon as he bent over in pain, I delivered my final blow, a lethal right fist to his temple. I watched in satisfaction as he unceremoniously crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

I stared at him for a few seconds, letting myself enjoy the pride I felt for taking him down all by myself. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to waste gloating. I needed to find the resident psyhco bitch before she tried to take out my man. I looked around the warehouse, looking for something I could handcuff Joe to. Now that he was out of the fight, I didn't want him to have a chance to get back in it. I found what I was looking for, and drug Joe over to the wall the water pipe was on.

My mind keep wandering back to the realization that I wanted a family with Carlos. Where had that come from? I had never wanted to get married again. Once was enough for me, I'd thought. And before, the idea of having children nearly brought on full blown panic attacks, but the thought of being Carlos' wife and having a little boy that looked exactly like his daddy made my heart melt. Well shit. Now was not the time. I needed to focus on the task at hand. Once this was all over, I'd have to figure out what to do with the fact that I wanted a family with a man who didn't do stupid things like marriage and kids.

Dragging a 200-pound man that was dead weight would have been impossible for me last year at this time, but now I actually could do it. Don't get me wrong, it was still hard. I mean, I'm Wonder Woman, not the Hulk. Once I had Joe cuffed to the pipe with both hands above his head, I stepped back and was struck with the irony of this situation. Talk about poetic justice. It wasn't a shower rod, but it would do.

I decided to do one last thing. I had confiscated Joe's pocket knife before I handcuffed him, so I pulled it out and quickly cut all the clothes he was wearing off, leaving him in nothing but what I thought would be his boxers. I shook my head and laughed when I saw his underwear. Evidently, I had left a pair of my RangeMan undies at his place, and for some unknown reason, he was wearing them. I couldn't control the laughter that bubbled out of me, seeing him in black bikini breifs with RangeMan stamped on the ass in hot pink. I couldn't wait until the 'Burg got a look at this.

I felt a slight tingle down my spine, and heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire. Ranger was here, and I still needed to find Jeanne Ellen. I grabbed the gun I had taken from Joe and headed for the door, ready to save the love of my life.

**RPOV**

Bobby had just finished wrapping my foot. It had caused a hell of an argument, but he'd finally realized that I was taking my cast off, with his help or not. It was just too bulky, and I couldn't move well enough with it on. It was supposed to come off next week anyway, so I didn't understand what the big deal was.

"Okay, Rangeman, that's all I can do for you. I still think this is a bad idea..." Bobby said as he slapped my foot, causing pain to shoot up my leg. I glared at him for a few seconds until he finally backed off and let me finish getting ready.

All of my men were crammed into one of my conference rooms, going over the plan. I knew that every one of them was eager to get my Babe back. As I looked around the room, I wondered exactly when the Bombshell Bounty Hunter had become the heart and soul of my company. I guess it didn't really matter when, only that it was true. I shook my head and focused on what Tank was saying.

"Remember, we aren't just going up against a drunk ex-cop. If the information we have dug up is correct, Jeanne Ellen is a very accomplished killer, and she has been planning this for years. She doesn't know that we are on to her, so we have an advantage, but don't take anything for granted," Tank finished and turned to me.

"Bringing Stephanie back safely is the top priority. Frank, Hal, and Woody will focus on finding and taking care of Morelli. Jeanne Ellen needs to be neutralized, also. If it's possible, I want her taken alive and brought to me. If not, then so be it," I told the room.

As soon as I nodded my head, half of the men quickly made their way out of the room behind Frank and Bobby. They were dressed in street clothes, and left through the back door so they could use their personal vehicles to get down to the pier. The rest of us were waiting twenty minutes, so they had time to get into a position that would have them coming towards the warehouse from the opposite direction of us.

No one said anything as we waited to leave. We had all done this before. Steph wondered where the Merry Men and I got our zones. It was because of situations like this, when timing mattered as much as acting did. We had to learn to be patient, but ready when it was time. Most of us had learned to use the time to focus on what needed to be done. Normally, that's exactly what I did, but today was different.

Every time I tried to focus on the mission, my mind would wander to after the mission. For some reason, I kept thinking of my future with Stephanie. I had said for years that I would never get married again, and even though I was starting to get to know Julie, I had been positive that I never wanted any more children. For some reason, I was suddenly imagining a future with Steph as my wife, and a little girl with wild curls just like her mother's. What shocked me most about this, for lack of a better word, daydream, was how much I wanted to make it a reality. I wanted a family with Steph.

Well shit! This was not the time for that realization. I needed to focus on getting Stephanie back, and then I would have to figure out what to do about the fact that I wanted a family with a woman who was completely against marriage, and who would break out in hives at the mere thought of having children. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

"Time's up," Tank said, and we both stood up and grabbed our things.

The guys followed our lead, and before I knew it, we were all pulling out of the garage, making our way to the pier. We planned to stop about a mile away from the warehouse and go in on foot. We had all been trained for missions like this. I just hoped there weren't any innocents in the area that could get caught in the crossfire. I'd had men watching the area since we'd first discovered it, and they reported that the only activity they'd seen were the six armed guards patrolling around the warehouse. They guys had reported Morelli arriving and going into the warehouse where we believe Steph was being held. They said they couldn't get him without alerting the other guards so hopefully Steph could hold her own against that fucker until I could get to her.

The guys followed our lead, and before I knew it, we were all pulling out of the garage, making our way to the pier. We planned to stop about a mile away from the warehouse and go in on foot. We had all been trained for missions like this. I just hoped there weren't any innocents in the area that could get caught in the crossfire. I'd had men watching the area since we'd first discovered it, and they reported that the only activity they'd seen were the six armed guards patrolling around the warehouse.

I looked to my side and saw Tank nod that he was ready. Tank, Lester, and I were all directly behind three of the guards. We wanted to take them out without alerting anyone. At my signal, we each stepped up to the guard and took them out with a sleeper hold. All three went down easily, and we quickly removed all their weapons and hogtied them using the Plastic EZ cuffs.

With that part of the mission successful, we moved in closer to the warehouse. By now, my other men should be approaching from the other side. The one guard that was stationed as lookout evidently saw one of us, because he reached for his radio. I aimed and took him out with one shot. Unfortunately, his hand spasmed, and he pulled the trigger on his automatic weapon, releasing a barrage of gunfire and alerting everyone that we had arrived.

I wasn't that surprised that we'd been made, and at least we'd taken out four of Jeanne Ellen's men. That left us Jeanne Ellen, Morelli, and at least two of her men, possibly more, to be taken care of. Considering I had six men on my team, and five on the team Bobby and Frank were bringing in from the other side, I was fairly confident we had enough men to take the warehouse.

The one worry I had was that if Jeanne Ellen got to the roof, she would have an excellent vantage point to use her sniper rifle from. Even though most of the kills that were associated with Mantis were up close and personal, there were a few long range shots that could only have been done by a very highly-trained sniper, so I knew we'd be in trouble if she got up there. I had put Ram on the roof of another building that he thought would give him the best chance at taking her out if she got to the roof of the warehouse, but he had said she had a lot of locations that she'd be able to keep herself hidden in while aiming at my men on the ground.

As soon as the guard fired his gun, the other guards began to open fire. I immediately realized there were at least five more guards still standing, meaning our intel had been wrong. There wasn't much I could do about it now. The other team should be able to get in a position so we could box them in. My team spread out, taking up positions around the warehouse to make sure no one got past us, and returned fire at the remaining guards.

**JEPOV**

I heard the gunfire, and knew that Ranger and his lap dogs had finally arrived. The man I had watching the RangeMan building had already told me they were on their way. I got myself into a position to wait until they got close enough to the building that I could go around the outside of the building and come in behind Ranger. I was going to force him into the warehouse, where his idiot girlfriend was being held with Joe, and then I would make him watch as I killed her.

As soon as I heard the gunfire, I started to make my way around the building, but stopped short. I realized quickly that I had obviously underestimated Manoso, when I saw some of his men blocking the way I'd planned to use to get around the Rangemen and take Ranger by surprise. I was instantly filled with rage. That motherfucker was constantly ruining everything. Fuck this. I've had enough of the games. I'm just going to take the prick out once and for all.

Fortunately, I had brought my sniper rifle with me as a back up plan. I just needed to get to the steps on the side of the building so I could get up to the roof. My rifle was already waiting for me up there. Luckily, the steps were covered in a flimsy housing that would let me get up the steps without being seen, but first, I needed to make it to the steps unobserved. I crouched down, and quickly made my way to the base of the steps. My guards had taken up positions that gave them enough cover to keep the Rangemen at bay. Now I just needed to get to the roof and take out their fearless leader.

Once I was on the roof, I grabbed my rifle pack and went to the side of the warehouse I knew Ranger was on. I stayed low, because I knew Ranger had his own sniper that was a legend in the business. I didn't want to give him a chance to take me down before I got Ranger. After that, I really didn't care what happened to me. As long as Ranger paid for what he'd done to my sister, I would die happy. I quickly set up my rifle and lowered myself into position, placing my handgun beside me for easy access in case someone made it to the roof. I looked through the lens, trying to find the man that had ruined my life.

**SPOV**

I checked my gun, making sure I had a full clip before opening the door and peering outside. I slowly made my way out of the warehouse, trying to stay low. I wasn't sure what fire was friendly and what wasn't, so I tried to assess the situation as best I could. I noticed one of Jeanne Ellen's guards crouched behind a stack of crates in front of me. I couldn't bring myself to shoot him in the back, so I snuck up behind him and brought the butt of my gun down on his head as hard as I could. He slumped on the ground, unconscious.

I took his automatic weapon and draped it across my back. I wasn't as comfortable with them as I was handguns, but I knew how to use them, and I knew I might need the added firepower. I cuffed his arms behind his back using his own cuffs, and then quickly went through his pockets. I snatched his Glock off his side and tucked it into my pants, then I grabbed his knife and extra ammo. Before I had time to look for anything else I could use, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned and realized it was Jeanne Ellen, trying to get over to the steps that led to the roof.

Realizing that no one else had seen where she was headed because they were too focused on the gunfight, I quickly made up my mind and followed her. There was no way that bitch was going to take a shot at Carlos if I could stop her. She had made it all the way to the roof by the time I got to the base of the steps. I looked up at the rickety steps, and flashed back to the time I'd caused the fire escape to fall off the wall while I was trying to catch a skip. I stared at the steps for another second before rolling my eyes and quickly making my way up them, praying that a stray bullet didn't find its way through the flimsy housing surrounding the steps, and that the stupid steps didn't fall off the wall. I made it to the top and let out a sigh of relief.

**RPOV**

Jeanne Ellen had obviously hired trained muscle. We were slowly making our way closer to the warehouse, but it was taking longer than I would have liked. A lot could have happened to Steph in the time we were trying to get to her. I was terrified Jeanne Ellen would decide to take her out, rather than risk her being rescued. The thought had just cleared my mind when I heard Ram over the radio.

"Boss, Jeanne Ellen just came up on the roof. I haven't been able to get a clear shot of her, though," he told me calmly.

Shit, that was what I'd been afraid of. "Keep an eye on her, and take the shot if you get it," I told him as I tried to get a better angle on the guard that had Tank and I pinned.

"Jeanne Ellen is on the roof. Don't expose yourself enough to give her a shot," I commanded through the radio, letting all my men know.

"Mother of God, it's every one of my wet dreams come true," I heard Ram say roughly, obviously unaware that he was still transmitting.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Tank barked as he finally got the drop on the guard that was holed up just inside the warehouse, giving us the chance to move closer.

"Uh, Boss, Bomber is on the roof with Jeanne Ellen, and she is dressed to kill," he explained. My blood froze, and my heart stopped. Hold up... Did he just refer to my Babe as his wet dream? Oh, he was so going to be meeting me on the mats when this was over. I hadn't replied, so Tank did.

"What are you seeing, Ram?" he asked as he found a better location to give me cover fire from.

"Boss, she came prepared. Bomber's got a twenty two in her hand, a Glock tucked in her hip, and a knife on the other side. _Holy hell_! She's got what looks like MTAR strapped to her back," he said in awe.

I wasn't sure if it was my Babe or the gun that had him drooling. The MTARs weren't supposed to be out until 2011, and they were supposed to be the best out there. It was also how I knew that Jeanne Ellen had hired trained muscle, since that's what they were carrying. That meant my Babe had disarmed one of the guards. I gave her a silent _Proud of you, Babe, _before running out of my hiding place while Tank laid down cover fire. I had to get to that roof to help Steph. She could obviously handle herself, but I wanted to be there, just in case she needed backup. Losing Steph just wasn't an option for me.

These thoughts were running through my head when the crates I was using for cover suddenly toppled off to the left, leaving me completely out in the open and exposed. I looked to the side and saw that one of the guards had used a forklift to push the crates down, creating a deafening crash. I aimed at his head, and quickly took him out as I tried to find some cover, knowing I was wide open for Jeanne Ellen to take a shot.

**SPOV**

Once I was at the top of the stairs, I crouched as low as I could, trying to find where Jeanne Ellen had made her sniper bed. I wondered, if she wasn't planning on sleeping in it, would that make it a sniper couch? Ughhh, shit, so not the time for ridiculous questions. I continued my very slow and careful examination of the nooks and crannies on the roof, and boy, let me tell you, there were a lot.

I had started to turn and make my way down the wall farthest from the stairs, when I noticed what looked like a high heel laying on the ground. A little closer inspection, and I realized that I was looking at a pair of mid-calf, camouflaged boots with a three-inch heel and ammo in a band wrapped around an ankle. I laughed to myself when I realized that I'd almost complimented her on her shoe style.

I slowly made my way up behind her. Once I was directly behind her, I cleared my throat and watched as she tensed.

"You really didn't think I'd let you take out my man, did you?" I asked, letting all the anger, fear, and frustration I'd felt over the past twenty-four hours pour out of me, all aimed at the woman in front of me.

She tensed and slowly turned around. "You mean you still want to be with that bastard after you heard what he did to my baby sister?"

I stared at her coldly. "Carlos is the best man I know. We've all made mistakes in our lives, but he didn't kill your sister. The only thing he did to your sister was break her heart. It's happened to all of us at one time or another, but most people just get on with their lives. I am truly sorry you lost your sister like that, but the only person to blame for your sister's death is your sister herself."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I watched her face contort in rage. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard a loud crash down on the ground, but I didn't pay any attention, because Jeanne Ellen had reached for something beside her. I watched as she stood up and swung around towards me in one swift motion. I knew she was going to kill me, so before she had time to bring the gun in her hand up, I fired my own.

I shot her twice directly in her chest and added one to her head for good measure, then I watched as she stumbled backwards over her rifle, and finally fell off the roof, onto the ground below. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down a little. I knew I hadn't had a choice, but I really hated when I had to kill somebody. I knew if I hadn't killed her, she would have killed me, and then Carlos, but it didn't make the pain in my chest any less. I walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down at Jeanne Ellen's body lying broken below me.

Carlos was leaning over her, checking her pulse. As soon as he stood up, he looked right at me. "Babe," he said, and I could hear the love and relief in that one little word.

"Carlos," I breathed as I smiled at him. I knew that no matter what else happened, everything would be all right, as long as we had each other.

**Jeanne ****Ellen's**** boots are ****real: (I know they aren't practical for the situation, but this is Stephanie Plum's world and I couldn't pass it up.)**

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**TBC...**

**Only one more to go….. Thanks Connie & Jenny!**


	54. Chapter 54

**FADE TO BLACK**

**Disclaimer****: As usual, all characters are the property of JE. Unfortunately she won't even let me borrow Ranger for a day or two. I am making no money yada, yada, yada.**

**WARNING****: This story is **_**VERY**_** Un-Morelli friendly. If you are a Cupcake then you will absolutely hate my story. Joe is a very bad guy in this story. I'm a total Babe and it shows. It's actually extremely unkind to Mrs. Plum too. There will be adult language, violence, and situations so don't even bother reading any more if this will offend you.**

**CHAPTER 54**

**SPOV**

I quickly made my way across the roof and down the stairs. Before I could set foot on the ground, I felt a familiar pair of strong, muscular arms sweep me off my feet as Carlos picked me up and kissed me for all he was worth. I totally forgot about everything that was going on around us, and lost myself in the man that was wrapped around me. After a few minutes, we slowly separated, because someone kept clearing his throat. I turned to give that person a piece of my mind, expecting it to be one of the Three Musketeers, but boy, was I wrong.

"D-daddy?" I asked, stunned at the sight that greeted me. Here was my father, the mild-mannered, retired postman, dressed in full SWAT gear and looking completely comfortable in it.

"Pumpkin, are you okay?" he asked as Lester, Tank, and Bobby came over to join our little party.

"I'm fine. What are you doing here?" I turned to Carlos. "Please tell me you didn't let my father get shot at!" I hissed at him incredulously.

Carlos raised his eyebrow, but before he could reply, my Dad spoke up. "I'm a grown man, Stephanie, and I have been through much more dangerous things than this," he told me, slightly annoyed. "There was no way I wasn't going to help rescue my little girl. I had actually planned to use this as an opportunity to give Joe Morelli the ass kicking he deserved, but it seems I arrived a little late for that." He stared at me for a few seconds.

I could feel Carlos watching me, and the rest of the guys were looking around, confused, until finally Lester spoke up. "Okay, I give. Where the hell is Morelli?"

My Dad snorted, trying to keep from laughing. "He's in the warehouse, exactly where Stephanie left him," he told them with a smile.

Carlos and the guys walked over to the warehouse and looked inside. I followed behind them, with my Dad next to me.

Hal and Woody were standing inside the warehouse guarding Joe, and were grinning from ear to ear. As soon as the guys saw Joe, they busted out laughing. Even Carlos had tears in his eyes, he was laughing so hard. I looked Joe over, and noticed he was looking a little worse for the wear. His left eye had basically swollen shut. His throat had a really nasty bruise. His lip was swollen to almost twice its regular size, and the right side of his ribcage looked like it had been used as a punching bag. The sight actually made me smile, and I even felt a little vindicated over the whole shower rod incident.

When Joe realized I was standing there, he started screaming. "Stephanie Plum, you let me out of these cuffs immediately. You do realize you assaulted an officer, right? You will go to jail for that. And where the hell are my clothes? You can't leave me like this," he screeched. Obviously, he'd officially lost it, since he hadn't been a police officer in quite some time. He would have continued ranting had my father not walked over and decked him, knocking him out cold.

"Hey, wasn't today the first day of his trial?" I asked.

Carlos chuckled. "Yes, it was, and we have the papers to take him in," he told me with an evil grin.

My dad walked over to Carlos and me, shaking his head. "I was hoping to beat the shit out of him, but I guess seeing what you did to him and knocking him out once will have to do," he told me with small grin.

"Actually, Frank, I figure Stephanie and I will be pretty busy dealing with this mess. Would you mind taking him down to the station with Hal and Woody and turning him in, so RangeMan can get the body receipt? I think you deserve to watch as Joe gets put in a cell wearing nothing but his RangeMan panties," Carlos said, smiling as Hal and Wood took Joe down from the water pipe and started carrying him out to an awaiting SUV.

A full smile broke out on my father's face. I could tell he was going to enjoy parading Joe into the TPD looking like he did. "I'd love to, Carlos," my dad replied before turning to face me. "I'm proud of you, Pumpkin. I've watched you spend the past year turning into the woman I always knew you'd become." He smiled at me one last time, and then turned to Carlos, doing some ESP thing that I obviously would never be able to learn. I decided it must be a military thing.

My dad headed outside towards the sound of sirens that were screeching towards the pier. I sighed when I heard the sound, knowing that it was going to be a very long time before I could go home and take a long hot shower and climb in bed with my Cuban Sex God.

Carlos hadn't let go of my hand since I'd come down off the roof, and when I started to walk out of the warehouse, he used it to pull me back into him. I turned and looked at him, trying to raise my eyebrow, but alas, I still couldn't manage it. Luckily, Carlos got the idea.

"I'm so damn proud of you, Babe," he told me before his lips crashed down onto mine. When we finally separated, we were both gasping for air. We each took a deep breath, and then made our way out of the warehouse to face the music.

We spent the next ten hours being interviewed by every agency that existed, and even a few I'd never heard of. Evidently Jeanne Ellen/Jenna/Mantis wasn't joking when she told me about her professional career, and it seemed that every agency and its brother wanted to take credit for taking her down, but Carlos wouldn't let them. I could tell he knew more about her than I did, but we were never left alone, so he couldn't tell me what it was.

I was okay with that. Although I was curious about the woman I knew as Jeanne Ellen Burros, I was also incredibly exhausted, and I hadn't eaten anything in almost two days. My stomach was growling loudly, and the third time my head fell forward on the table while we were meeting with our third or fourth alphabet agency, Carlos decided we'd had enough.

"That's _enough_!" he ground out. "We have answered every one of your damn questions about a thousand different ways. We have fully cooperated with you and every other agency that's questioned us for the past ten hours. Stephanie hasn't slept or eaten in almost 48 hours. I am taking her home, feeding her, and then letting her sleep for as long as she deems necessary. We will be completely unavailable for at least the next 36 hours. If that is a problem or you have any questions before then, please feel free to contact our attorneys," he growled, and then threw a business card that I guessed belonged to our lawyer onto the table. I was too tired to care.

He gently pulled me to my feet and wrapped his arm around me, guiding me out of the building and into a waiting SUV. He opened the door and picked me up to put me inside. It was a good thing, too, because I honestly didn't think I had the energy to climb in by myself. He climbed in beside me and closed the door. I was out as soon as my head hit his shoulder.

I awoke a short time later, and realized I was being carried somewhere, but wasn't concerned with where. I knew I was in Carlos' arms, and I was always safe there.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was obviously daylight, and I realized I wasn't sure exactly where I was. I sat up and looked around for a second, and realized we were at Carlos' beach house. I started to get up to look for him, when he walked into the room, carrying a tray of heavenly goodness. I moaned as soon as the smell hit my nose, and my stomach felt like it was ready to dance a jig, it was so excited at the prospect of food.

I heard Carlos chuckle as he set the tray down in front of me. It was covered with every yummy breakfast dish I'd ever imagined. There were eggs, bacon, Belgium waffles, omelets, fruit, syrup, toast, and even a few things I didn't recognize, but I was positive I would eat. But the best thing of all was the steaming cup of coffee, just the way I like it, lot's of cream and plenty of sugar. Have I mentioned that I love this man?

"I tried to wake you up last night when we got here so I could feed you, but you were dead to the world," he explained as he watched with an amused look as I devoured everything on the tray.

I looked up at him and shrugged my shoulders, hoping that he would understand that speaking would mean I had to stop eating long enough to form the words, and that so wasn't going to happen. He shook his head and laughed, but didn't try to converse with me until the tray was empty.

"Better?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded my head. "Much. So why did you bring us to your beach house?" I asked curiously.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't want anyone to know where we were so we wouldn't be bothered, and I knew you loved the beach. I figured you could use some happy after the past few days," he explained as he picked the tray up off the bed. "Why don't you go shower and meet me downstairs so we can go for a walk on the beach?" he asked.

I stretched my body like a cat, causing Carlos' eyes to darken. I smiled at him, thinking it wouldn't be such a bad idea. "Shower, Babe. We have some things we need to discuss."

Well, crap. Looks like I wouldn't be getting my Carlos-induced orgasm this morning. I heard him bark with laughter. "Later, Babe. I promise you can have as many as you want later," he told me as he left the room. One of these days, I was going to learn how to keep my thoughts in my head where they belonged.

I jumped in the shower and took a little longer than normal trying to work out the kinks. Once I was clean, exfoliated, and relaxed, I climbed out of the shower and got ready. I decided to go au naturale, and just pulled my hair up in a ponytail. Ranger always made me feel beautiful, so I didn't feel like I had to fix my face for him. Once I was dressed and ready, I headed downstairs to find Carlos. He was waiting for me in the living room, and as soon as he saw me, he got up and came to give me a hug before leading me out to the beach.

It was a beautiful day out, and we spent most of it walking hand in hand up and down the beach. I told him everything that had happened after I was kidnapped, and he told me everything he'd learned about Jeanne Ellen and why she was after him. He told me his side of the story, and I could tell he still blamed himself, so I tried to put his mind at ease. When he tried to apologize for getting me into the entire mess to begin with, I actually had to put my foot down.

"Carlos, there were two crazies involved in this mess, and yes, one was after you, but the other was _my_ crazy. You can't blame yourself, and _don't you dare_ try to use this as an excuse to push me away, because I will not let you," I told him firmly.

He chuckled. "No, Babe, I'm not strong enough to push you away again. I can't live without you, so you're stuck with me," he reassured me.

"Good. As long as we're clear," I grumbled.

He smiled. "Crystal, Babe."

We spent the next few minutes in silence. Carlos was probably in that damn zone that he has, but my mind kept flitting back to the realization I'd had during my fight with Morelli. I didn't know what to do about it. When I first made my decision to make changes in my life, I had promised myself that I wouldn't settle, but I wasn't sure I would be able to walk away from Carlos just because he didn't want what I did. I kept trying to tell myself that marriage was just a legal sheet of paper, and I didn't need it to be happy, but there was this annoying voice in the back of my head that kept saying that I did.

"You going to tell me what's got you all worked up? Because I've been smelling smoke all day," Carlos said lightly.

Should I tell him? Would it ruin everything? Screw it, I'd never know for sure whether Carlos wanted the same things or not unless I told him what I was feeling. I sighed loudly, stopped walking, and turned to face him. He raised his eyebrow, letting me know he was curious, and I jumped right in.

"When I was fighting with Joe, he kept going on and on about our future together. Right before I knocked him out, I laid everything out for him. I told him that even when we were dating, the thought of marrying him and having little Morellis was quite literally my idea of hell." I took a deep breath before continuing. "The thing is, right after I told him that, I realized something." I felt Carlos tense, and couldn't understand why, so I just continued on. "I realized that when I think of our future, the idea of being married and having children with you is my idea of heaven."

I looked in his eyes as I said this last part, knowing that I would be able to read his reaction. At first, I saw shock, which seemed to turn to just surprise, and then I saw the one thing I'd never expected... Absolute Happiness.

He smiled and picked me up, swinging me around before setting me back on the ground and cupping my face. "That's what I want, too, Babe. It doesn't matter when. It can be today, next week, or next year, but there is nothing I want more than to marry you and start a family," he told me.

The worry and fear that I had been feeling since my revealation was quickly replaced with complete joy and a whole lot of relief. I smiled at him wickedly. "You know, I wouldn't be opposed to spending the evening practicing how to make a family."

I watched as his eyes dilated completely black seconds before he picked me up and sprinted back to the beach house, where we spent the rest of the night practicing. You know the saying, _Practice makes perfect_? Well, let me tell you, Carlos proved to me over and over again exactly how perfect he was. As the dark night started to lighten to dawn, Carlos wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.

"I love you, Stephanie Plum," he told me with more emotion than he had ever shown.

"And I love you, Carlos Manoso," I replied, right before sleep overtook me and my world faded to black.

**EPILOGUE  
RPOV  
8 MONTHS AFTER STEPH'S KIDNAPPING**

I watched the love of my life run down the beach outside of our beach house, laughing, with her kite flying high above her. It still amazed me when I saw the innocence she possessed, even after all the darkness she's seen. Somehow, she still seems to find the simple joy in life, and now, thanks to her, so can I.

When Stephanie and I finally came up for air almost two full days after her kidnapping, we made our way back to RangeMan, knowing there was still a lot to be done.

I spent three weeks working with various lawyers, officials, and military personnel, proving that Jeanne Ellen/Jenna Buros was also Mantis. I spent two more weeks with the same lawyers, officials, and military personnel collecting on the reward money that had been offered for Mantis' capture or death. Thanks to Stephanie, RangeMan was awarded a total of 28 million dollars. I had tried to give it all to her, because she was the one that found out who Jeanne Ellen/Jenna was, and she was the one that took her out. Of course, Stephanie wouldn't hear of it, but I did manage to make her take a very large bonus, and gave all my other employees bonuses as well.

After Frank dropped Morelli off at the police station, he was held without bail. The fact that he was brought in wearing nothing but RangeMan panties fueled 'Burg gossip for almost a month. His hearing began two weeks after Steph kicked his ass. She preferred to refer to it like that, rather than the day he tried to kidnap her, and although reliving the memories of what Joe had put her through was hard, Stephanie did it without complaint, and I couldn't have been more proud of her. The 'Burg had shown up in full effect, hoping to see some sort of drama unfold, but was disappointed to learn the hearing was closed to the public, and only those testifying were allowed inside. I knew that it had been a huge relief to Stephanie, and for that, I was grateful.

Almost a month after the trial began, Joseph Morelli was found guilty of attempted rape, attempted murder, and kidnapping, along with numerous other lesser counts. He was sentenced to seven years total for the lesser counts, five for the attempted rape, ten for the kidnapping, and twenty-four for the attempted murder. All sentences were to be served consecutively, meaning he would have to spend up to forty-six years in prison, and he wasn't eligible for parole for at least twenty years. His family still believed he did nothing wrong, but the difference now was that no one believed a word they said anymore.

Stephanie's relationship with her sister was improving. I don't think it will ever be totally repaired, though. Some things just can't be forgotten. But Stephanie wants to be in her nieces' lives, and if that makes her happy, then I'm all for it. Val was trying to turn over a new leaf. Learning about her mother's past and watching her mother's views tear their family apart seemed to have opened her eyes. I guess only time will tell.

Unfortunately, Stephanie's relationship with her mother hadn't improved. She'd hoped that since her mother was seeing a counselor, things might be different, but Helen had showed up at Morelli's trial, blaming Stephanie for ruining a good man's life and driving apart her own family. Evidently she had only gotten counseling thinking it would keep Frank from divorcing her and when she found out it wouldn't, she decided to stop pretending she'd changed. I know it hurts Stephanie, knowing that her mother would always blame Steph for her own problems, but Steph has seemed to accept it and is moving on.

Frank went through with his divorce, much to Helen's dismay. Her life has taken a complete nosedive. No longer is she the perfect 'Burg wife and mother. Most people around the 'Burg want nothing to do with her, now that it is finally clear that she sided with a man that tried to rape and kill her daughter. She has no friends, and really, no family. Even Val had stopped visiting, because she feels the environment is too hostile to bring her daughters into. Helen's house has been vandalized numerous times by neighborhood kids. Things are so bad that she no longer leaves the house, claiming she is too scandalized by the divorce and Stephanie's lifestyle. Even I rolled my eyes when I heard that. She doesn't leave the house because everyone was still talking about what a horrible person she is.

Frank has met a very nice widowed nurse named Agnes, and they have really hit it off. Stephanie said that she has never seen her father this happy. Agnes and Stephanie get along wonderfully. Agnes has no children, but she seemed to have adopted Stephanie as her own. For the first time in her life, Stephanie has a motherly figure in her life that treated her with love, respect, and support, and I couldn't be happier for her.**  
**  
Frank and Agnes started coming to RangeMan every Sunday afternoon for lunch about a month after Joe's ass kicking. After the first few weeks, my sister Celia and my father joined us. When Stephanie said she wanted to invite Grandma Mazur, I balked. She was still living in Stephanie's old apartment, like a queen in her court, especially since Stephanie was paying her rent for her. After almost a month of various forms of persuasion, I finally agreed to let Grandma Mazur come too, if she promised that she wouldn't grope me or my employees, and surprisingly, she had stuck to her word. Once the Three Musketeers found out about it, they managed to invite themselves, and finally Lula was added to the mix. It was now a weekly occurrence that sometimes lasts late into the evening, and I find myself looking forward to it more than I'd ever thought I would. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was surrounded by a loving and supportive family, and it was all thanks to Stephanie.

I hadn't spoken to my mother or sisters since Dad's birthday party, and it didn't bother me at all. I honestly didn't care if I ever spoke to them again. I've spent most of my life with a small part of me hoping they would learn to accept me for who I was, but now that I had Stephanie and the rest of my family, I didn't want or need their acceptance. Stephanie had given me more than I thought I would ever want or need. She gave me everything she is, and I have given her all of me, and I try to make sure she knows she has my love, devotion, and my never ending support.

I've stepped back a little from running the company, because there was nothing I enjoyed more than spending time with my Babe. Still, just because I've stepped back a little doesn't mean we don't work our asses off. Stephanie is a vital part of the core team, and RangeMan is growing leaps and bounds, thanks to her input, but I'd decided it was time we took a vacation. That was why we are leaving tomorrow for Miami. I wanted to show my Babe the parts of Miami I loved growing up. We were also going to spend time with Julie, and even though I was a little nervous about it, I knew with Steph by my side, everything would be okay. I also planned to finally give her the velvet box I've been carrying around in my pocket for almost three months.

When we discussed getting married and having kids, we both agreed we weren't in a rush. We wanted to just enjoy being with each other, but I felt like we are ready for this next step, and I was pretty sure she did, too. I couldn't wait to see how beautiful the ring looked on her finger... The sound of Stephanie's laughter pulled me out of my thoughts, causing me to look up and see her running towards me with her kite in her hand. Her faced was flushed from the wind, and her hair was whipping around her wildly, but she had never been more beautiful.

"This is so much fun, Carlos. Come on, you have to try it with me," she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me with her. Who was I to say no?

The past eight months had been the best of my life, and every day I spent with Stephanie was better than the day before. As we sat outside in the hammock holding each other, I said a prayer of thanks to whomever put Stephanie Plum in my life. I watched as the sun fell below the horizon, and the day slowly faded away, and I knew I was ready for the next chapter in our life together.

**Steph's engagement ring: **

**/rings/files/2010/03/fusaro_**

**THE END!**

**P.S. They lived happily ever after!**

**I hope you all enjoyed my first fanfic. This started out as something I wasn't sure I would be able to pull off and turned into something I'm actually kind of proud of. **

**I want to thank everyone who took their time to read my story and for those of you who reviewed my story I can't even explain how much your words meant to me. I've saved them all so I have somewhere to go if I need a little happy in my world. **

**At the beginning of my story Vihrago (Lisa) also gave me a lot of help and encouragement. RL had it's way with her, but I still want to thank her for the help and encouragement she gave me.**

**Jenny aka JenRar is one hell of a beta. I have never seen anyone edit as quickly and as well as she does. She took my story to a whole other level. She made it more understandable and she also taught me a lot as I went along. She also wrote one of my smut scenes and made it even better than I thought it could be. Thanks so much for everything Jenny!**

**I know for a fact if it wasn't for Connie Herigstad this story would have never been finished. She gave me constant support and encouragement when I wanted to just give it up and say screw it. She's a great person and I consider her a good friend after all she's helped me do. She gave me some great ideas when I felt like my story was stalled and I'll be forever in her debt for her help. (I also think she should write her own story. She has fabulous ideas. ;o) Just putting that out there.) Thank you so much for all your help, Connie!**


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